


How to Break Necks and Alienate People

by herpb4uderp



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: AU, Adult Language, Awkwardness, Boxing, College, Crime, Extortion, F/M, Fighting, Humor, Love Story, M/M, Miscommunication, Parole Violations, Prison, Pros, Street fighting, Violence, WIP, all that good shit, failure to adjust, fixed fighting, no powers, rackateering, semi pros, slow burn on that, smut and fluff along the way during this crime drama, the type of crimes you should expect to find in underground fighting rings, trying so hard to fix these tags to accurately reflect this story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-24
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2019-07-16 07:18:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 41,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16081205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/herpb4uderp/pseuds/herpb4uderp
Summary: Nine years in prison is a long time. Now that he's back on the outside, falling for fool was the last thing Vegeta needed to complicate the problems of the past that would inevitably catch up with him.





	1. Welcome Home

This is the third time he's sat in front of this table. The long wooden table that has four old men behind it who've never seen better days.

 

The one in the left middle pushes up the glasses that had slid down his greasy nose. "Let's get started, shall we? I hate when these things drag on. So, Vegeta" he drags out each syllable of his name, "You were incarcerated at nineteen… for..." he flips through a stack of papers, "one count incidental manslaughter, two assault charges, three counts racketeering, four of bribery..."

 

He remains silent.

 

"Would have been... seven...? You had a good lawyer… or a sympathetic jury."

 

The man in the middle right itches underneath his grey toupee before picking up where the other left off, "You would have been all set to get out two years ago except you had.... some behavioral issues while you were here that extended your sentence, is that correct? Fourteen violent incidents with other inmates…?"

 

"Sixteen, undefeated." Vegeta mutters under his breath.

 

"... some resulting in serious injuries... hm? What was that?"

 

"Nothing, Sir." He bites out. "That's correct."

 

"Landed you six months solitary.... seemed to have cleaned your act up after that though. No more fights…”  The same board member thumbs between two pages and raises his brows with consideration, “and you got a degree in... finance...?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Interesting choice of study for someone charged with bribery and racketeering..." One of them mumblers quietly.

 

"None the less impressive." Another continues.

 

"Though it doesn't look like you spent any less time in the yard while you were working on that." The greasy man eyes Vegeta’s broad shoulders with disdain.

 

"I didn't." He affirms with a malicious sneer.

 

"I'm sure."  The man nods without looking and continues, "You were a boxer as your previous profession is that correct?"

 

"Yes." He says as calmly as he can manage.

 

"And do you plan to pursue that career again if you are granted parole?"

 

His teeth grind together before he answers differently than he did the last two times. "No."

 

"Hm. And what guarantees can you provide that enable you to avoid resorting to crime if you are granted parole?"

 

 _That's more dependent on other people than it is on me_. "Guarantee? I don't- ...What is the point of this question?" He snaps.

 

One of the other men sitting behind the table who had been busy reading looks up and snaps back, "The point, Mr. N'Oija is to see if you can be successfully reintegrated to society or if you are still in need of rehabilitation."

 

 _Rehabilitation. What bullshit._ Vegeta bites his tongue to keep from lashing out. His pride could not handle blowing another board.

 

"Do you at the very least have a stable place of residence in wait?"

 

"Yes... _Sir_. My brother. I'm staying with my brother."

 

"And where... does he live? Is he able to sponsor you? I don't see anything about a brother in your file."

 

"He was a minor when my case was submitted. He lives… by the University."

 

"Ah, and your brother, is his lifestyle stable? He has income?"

 

"Yes. He's a student, but works part time at cap, uh-" he struggles to remember the name, "Capsule Corporatio-"

 

"Well" there is sudden shift in the expressions on the four men, "that's most reassuring thing you've told us so far." They all seem to agree.

 

Vegeta remains still in the chair despite his heart now beating a thousand miles per hour as the four men continue to flip through the pages of the last nine years of his life.

 

"Once a week." The one to the left with short slicked hair and a cheap suit says.

 

"...What?"

 

"You'll be required to check in with a parole officer once a week." He slams a stamp down on the paper in front of him, "NEXT!"

 

\---

 

The sunlight felt different on his skin now that he wasn't in a prison yard. He was sure it was different. It was something about the air, the way freedom glinted off the windows. He lets out a long deep sigh as his little brother walks up to him.

 

Tarble goes in for a hug, the first hug he's be able to give his older brother in almost ten years. It isn't returned but it didn't matter, Tarble took his cold aloof brother in strides regardless and smiles widely at him. "Ready?"

 

"Yeah." He shrugs Tarble away and steps into the sleek black car. He'd been in nicer cars, but not many. He notices all kinds of interesting features that made him very aware he'd been away.

 

"You can afford this? I thought you only worked part time."

 

"I do!" His eyes widen excitedly and they drive back much faster than Vegeta was prepared to go listening to really loud strange music he’d never heard before.

 

On the way his little brother took on the task of asking the important questions like where Vegeta wanted to eat for his first meal on the outside and only after stopping at four different places Vegeta insisted they had to go did they finally arrive in a small off campus neighborhood at half past ten.

 

Vegeta steps out of the car nearly sick, still dizzy from the last three turns taken at 75 mph and grabs his small black duffel of possessions before making his way towards the door of a small house with shutters that needed painting and absurd lawn decorations assuring him it belonged to loud annoying college students.

Tarble follows him up and unlocks the door. "Okay... so I guess. A tour. Uhh- I’d introduce you too but it's Friday, so everyone's out right now, I told them you were coming though, you’ll meet them eventually." He walks much faster than Vegeta who takes his time trying to familiarize himself with his surroundings and _...escape routes_ and _...possible weapons if necessary…_

 

"This is the kitchen- all the foods marked, help yourself to mine. Just- Whatever you do don't eat Goku's, he loses his shit when people eat his food and..." he begins rambling about various other rooms.

 

"Goku… That's the stupid roommate, right?"

 

Tarble rolls his eyes, "He's not stupid. He's just... sometimes you have to explain things multiple times."

 

"So he's... stupid."

 

"Well, anyway his room’s in the basement where you don't have to worry about him. Oh, but Bulma? She's the one who helped me get my job because I was her research assistant last semester! She's upstairs across the hall. You'll like her! Uhh… but sometimes her boyfriend Yamcha is here and he's annoying. You’re upstairs too in the room next to mine- OH! And let me show the roof, you're really gonna like it-!"

 

Vegeta paid little attention to the names he had read many times but never had a chance to put a face to. It was starting to hit him that he would have to deal with other people at some point but thankfully that point was not right now with the exception of Tarble and he could continue not to deal with them until he was forced to.

 

His little brother suddenly yanks him upstairs by the arm, then up a narrow unsteady looking ladder through a hatch on the ceiling and he was right. The wind whips Vegeta's spikes back as he takes in a view of the city he hadn't seen in a long time. He loved it. Missed it and it quite literally takes his breath away... At first it is so beautiful, the bustling night time city he hadn't seen in almost a decade but then... a sudden wash of reckless anxiousness begins to overwhelm him as he looks at the city he hadn't seen _in almost a decade._ He runs his fingers through his hair and begins to quickly make his way back down.

 

"Vegeta? You ok?" He hears his little brother ask as Vegeta lets the hatch slam shut behind him. He looks around trying to remember which room Tarble had pointed to. It was hard to piece together what the place looked like from letters, phone calls and one quick tour but he finds it, walks in and locks the door. He drops his duffel bag on the floor and takes in his new hopefully temporary home.

 

The off white walls still have two posters of nude girls, remnants of tape, tacks and whatever else had been around to hold up 'artwork.' There is a small closet missing its doors, a wooden dented scratched up desk filled, a beaten old wheely chair with stuffing coming out of the left arm, and a worn coffee stained pillow top mattress in need a bed frame complete with no sheets.

He shuts the blinds and briefly tries to orient himself. Tarble was next to him. Bulma was across the hall. The dumb roommate was… _downstairs?_ He looks around and tries to remember if Tarble mentioned another roommate. _Who lived here?_ He figures maybe it looked liked this when they moved in. He wouldn’t be surprised. The tiny corner house had clearly seen many students in it’s short life.

 

All in all he wasn't very practiced with niceties, but he'd find a way to say Thank You because this... this was... too good to be true. The culture shock of getting out he had been silently fretting about for last few weeks following his board might not be so bad he thinks. _Things haven’t changed too much… This is… bearable._

 

_Except for those._

 

He peels the lewd undesirable posters off the wall and throws them to a corner before sleeping in the nicest bed he'd had since he’d been locked away.

 


	2. Roommates

Within the first week Vegeta would learn that Bulma was tolerable and Yamcha, who was here far more often than he and Tarble liked, was not.

 

The young beautiful heiress to what he now understood to be a _very successful_ Tech company was working on her second PhD and when asked why she lived _here_ she answered with congeniality, ‘because I like living humbly among my peers when I’m at school.’ Though from the massive colorful assortment of expensive bathroom… Things… he wasn’t sure what most of them were, he doubted she and her ‘peers’ had the same definition of humble. Especially after he learned this was a ‘considerable downsize’ from when she first moved in.

 

Despite his complaints about her taking 95% of _both_ bathrooms with her assortment of floral and fruit scented makeups Bulma was incredibly helpful and even devoted several hours of her time to help him figure out how to use a smartphone she generously donated to him. Although it took an additional three hours for Tarble to convince him to keep it and a lot of ‘ _No_ Vegeta! I promise! You do not _owe_ her anything!’, after his little brother mistakenly mentioned how much they cost.

 

All in all she measured up to everything Tarble described her to be. Though not included in Tarble’s letters was despite how light Bulma was, when she got drunk she was nearly impossible to carry up the stairs.

 

Yamcha was a very different story and held both his and Tarble’s ire. Vegeta didn’t know Tarble’s reasoning but to him, Yamcha quickly proved to be an over-confident party animal who took everything for granted. He then compounded these qualities by making the mistake of asking Vegeta what he went to prison for. Once. Now Yamcha leaves him alone and when he came back too drunk to walk up the stairs he got left on the living room floor where Vegeta felt he belonged.

 

Though he did one helpful thing. He let it slip that Vegeta’s room had previously belonged to Goku’s brother.

 

_“Radford? Randal? I don’t remember. He was an asshole. Dropped out a couple months ago I think …  and I’m pretty sure he was the one who taught your lil bro to drive the way he does.”_

 

_Vegeta huffs. I’ve been meaning to talk with him about that..._

 

It was coming up on three weeks out and he still hadn’t had met Goku. Which was fine by him because from what everyone else said he sounded downright irritating. He apparently had his own fridge downstairs and STILL had to take up room in the kitchen. Vegeta was convinced by this point the guy had the unsettling ability to appear and disappear at whim because he never saw him but every day the fridge had been sacked or restocked of containers that were dated and marked in sloppy handwriting:

 

G

PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH

 

But of course like most good things in Vegeta’s life, the comfortable mystery of the other roommate didn't last.

 

Vegeta is in the middle of tapping out an angry email to a bank about why they won't hire felons, when Goku saunters through the front door. Vegeta tries to block out the obnoxious humming and rummaging noises now emanating from the kitchen but it proves impossible when Goku decides now was the best time to introduce himself and walks into the living room smiling at him.

 

Vegeta looks up and briefly narrows his eyes at the tall dark haired muscle bound sixth-year's-the-charm "sports management" major he'd unfortunately heard so much about. He immediatly double takes because one, Tarble neglected to mention he was a big _pretty_ idiot and two, he also looked… _familiar._ Vegeta couldn't quite place the face though and puts the thoughts aside so he can resume typing with his usual scowl.

 

Goku watches and chomps on a cold leg of chicken for several moments before finally asking, "...Vegeta... right? You're Tarble's brother?"

 

"Yes."

 

He talks through his continual munching, "The one who was in prison?"

 

Vegeta’s scowl deepens because he already knows where this conversation is headed. "I'm his only brother."

 

Goku's eyes widen in excitement, "So what'd you do? Tarble told me not to ask but-"

 

"Oh? Did he? That’s strange, it’s like he knows how rude that fucking question is!" He slams the laptop he'd been using unsuccessfully for job search shut and glares at Goku whose smile immediately crumbles with regret.

 

"I- I'm sorry. ...Was it bad?"

 

“....Well,” Vegeta can feel the vein in his temple thumping with irritation, “prison isn’t exactly some kind of _frat party_ you get _invited_ to for being _popular. .._..Do you purposefully choose to speak without thinking or are you just stupid?”

 

Goku’s only response is an offended look on his face as he crunches down on something particularly hard. He continues staring at Vegeta who decides he’s had enough of whoever this was and stands with the intention of giving Goku an intimidating snarl as he walked out of the room.

 

Apparently standing was all it took to intimidate the big idiot though because as soon as he gets up, Goku stops chewing, raises his brows and lets his gaze travel down Vegeta's tightly clothed, training built, solitary hardened, painstakingly maintained body. When Goku snaps his gaze back up he finds himself met by a pair of extremely dark angry eyes. The shock of oxygen Goku’s lungs force him to inhale as he realizes he was caught makes him choke on what he had been eating.

 

 _Did he just... size me up for a fight?_ Vegeta watches him wheeze and adjusts to a more defensive stance with clenched ready fists.

 

Once he catches his breath however, Goku does nothing remotely aggressive to follow up his visual assessment of Vegeta’s threat potential. Instead his now bright red face begins to stammer out an apology before quickly forcing out the words, "I'mGokubytheway,Ilivedownstairs" and disappearing to the basement.

 

Vegeta was used to people leaving, shrinking back, cowering, looking away or any number of appropriate reactions to being intimidated by someone who won't tell you what they were locked up for; reactions that Yamcha always seemed eager to demonstrate, but choking was new and as a result it takes Vegeta several long quiet moments to unravel from his tense disposition. “...what the fuck?” He decides what just happened would have to be chalked up there as one of his favorite reactions yet. ... _W_ _hat a waste of good looks._

 

\---

 

Goku had a very different internalization process over what just occurred. He all but sprints down the steps into a basement that was half bedroom half gym and flops on the bed-sometimes-couch and buries his face into a pillow. He switches on a small tv to try and distract himself from his embarrassment of an introduction but only succeeds in agonizing for over an hour about whether or not this new _super_ hot guy in their house would ever talk to him again.

 

_WHY did I just DO that?! And how could I just choke like that in front of him?! Why did I just run away?! And why are the straight guys always SO HOT?! …  He looked like he wanted to fight me after I-! Ah! He had a good stance too- why did I have to ask him what he went to prison for? Tarble told me not to ask and Bulma and Yamcha did too. Now he’s mad at me! And to top it off I just… I just- How am I going to live in this house after that!? .... He had a really good stance too! He definitely works out! Or plays a sport! I should have asked about that! Ahh! He looked like he wanted to punch me. And why does that make him hotter? Because it definitely makes him hotter!  ...What am I thinking?! That’s Tarble’s brother! ...How long did Tarble say he was in prison for? He must not have any friends. That must be why he’s so angry. I should- I gotta make it up to him! Or- Or- I shouldn’t have asked that! I feel like such an asshole! Shouldn’t have looked at him that way either. Did he notice? He definitely noticed! Did he have to be so hot?! …. I gotta do somethin’- Wait, what if he does like guys? AH! What would my dad say!? ... ... …_

 

His sits up with a relaxed posture and presses his palm to his forehead in mock anguish, "Really, Ka? An ex-con? An’ for what, _murder_ ?" he sighs dramatically doing a near-perfect impression of his father's skin-deep disappointment, "Why don't ya ever bring home nice boys?" He lets out a quiet huff through a small smile. _  
_

Suddenly it becomes very clear that nothing would get accomplished by having a silent crisis on the couch. So Goku gets up and moves to the well worn bench in the small home gym with a few technical nuances Bulma helped him set up and tries to press away his anxiety over perhaps the worst first impression he'd ever made on the hottest guy he thinks he's ever seen and resolves to try and redeem himself.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cue dramatic irony~ There's going to be a lot of it.


	3. Unrequited

Week Four

 

Of course the moment Vegeta decided Goku's disappearing trait was his best one he'd run into him every second of _every fucking day._

 

He grumbles as he tries to get down the stairs but the two hundred twenty pound five foot ten Greek statue with bad hair could not seem to move out of his way. _He’s doing this on purpose._

 

In all honesty, getting in Vegeta's way was exactly what Goku was trying _not_ to do. But every time he encountered this new addition to their house he had a silent panic attack stunting his ability to act casually. So naturally, when he keeps side stepping in the wrong direction, his go-to friendly demeanor couldn’t help itself, he begins to try and laugh it off.

 

The noise makes Vegeta halt his failed attempts to step around him and he narrows his eyes at the peculiar response. _Is he... laughing… at me?_ He then roughly shoves Goku to the wall and shoulder checks him as he continues down the stairs, “Next time I’m going to push you down the stairs.”

 

Goku’s bashful smile disappears. …. _what did I do this time?_

 

 

Week Five

 

Vegeta is in the kitchen trying to eat a meal in peace for once when Goku walks in with half a tray of doughnuts in his hands and the other half in his mouth. he has to swallow before he can manage a smile.

 

“Hey, V-”

 

Vegeta loudly drops his fork on to his plate and glares at him forcing all the friendly pleasantries Goku had lined up to catch on something in his chest. There is a long uncomfortable silence as Vegeta’s irritation begins to slowly bore holes through Goku’s soft expression.

 

It is broken as Tarble rushes in weighed down by the books in his backpack. He is running a little late for and cuts right through the tension pausing only to grab something out of the fridge, “Oh hey! Vegeta! did you get my message?”

 

He looks up at his little brother, annoyance still pulling down on his brows, “Yes.”

 

“Do you think you’d be interested? I know you haven’t been getting a lot of call backs but-” He finally notices Goku standing quietly by the counters and startles, “Oh shit, Goku. What’s up” _Was he there the whole time? He always does that!_ Tarble shakes the thought and looks at his phone, “Anyway, let me know, ok? I have to run.”

 

Vegeta waves him off and presses his forehead into his palm trying to avoid looking at the sheepish smile he can feel exuding unwanted sympathy from Goku’s face but it was no use.

 

“....Do… do you want one, Vegeta?” Goku shakes the tray of sugar saturated cheat food at him. Vegeta looks up at just the wrong time to see Goku lick up some of the powder around _That! Stupid! Grin!_

 

"No! Get that out of my face! I do not need your stupid handouts!” He knocks his hand against it landing several of the doughnuts on the floor. Goku frowns first at the doughnuts then at Vegeta who abruptly stands and picks up one of the casualties. He thinks if Goku looked any more distressed he might have felt bad, but he looked hopelessly hapless as ever. So instead of apologizing, Vegeta leans in close and darkly mutters, “Don't" he drops the doughnut in the box, "Choke.” before vanishing from the kitchen.

All the heat in the room was suddenly radiating in waves from Goku's face as he tries to figure out if that was humiliating, threatening or worse, incredibly _sexy_.

 

 

Week six

 

He had made the terrible mistake of leaving his door open. Who knows what reason Goku had come up with to knock on Bulma’s door when she wasn’t there but apparently that meant he was welcome to invite himself across the hall when she didn’t answer.

 

He stop his push ups and clicks his tongue angrily as he looks up at the intruder standing in his doorway. “Can I fucking help you?”

 

“I- No. I was just walking by-”

 

“Well keep walking.”

 

“But I had a question.” he blurts out before he has time to think about what he was saying.

 

Vegeta lets out a gust of air as he resigns himself to just deal with continual interruptions of his life from an overly friendly jock who couldn’t seem to mind his own business. There is silence as he stands and Vegeta has to rudely gesture for him to ask his question.

“What is it this time? Want to conscript me on to your...” he critically assesses Goku’s tall muscular build and takes a random guess “hockey team, Captain Idiot?”

 

“I- I’m not on the hockey team this semester… Why? Do you play? I have-”

 

"No! You oaf! I do not play h-! I was being sarcastic!" _What the hell is with him?_ “What do you want?”

 

Goku who has taken the liberty to let his eyes wander around Vegeta’s room so he does not stare at Vegeta’s sweat slicked chest and abs, _or his shoulders, or his compression shorts or his biceps, or his quads, or his-_ notices it is almost completely bare save for a few neutral colored shirts and pants in the door-less closet. There were no clues to help him. “Oh. Well, you're always workin' out… so I was… just wondering” _think of something! Don’t just stand here! Say something!_ “if you play any sports?” _Stupid. That’s stupid! Why did you ask that?_

 

Vegeta crosses his arms as he leans against the door frame and snorts, “My brother didn’t tell you anything about me, did he?”

 

Goku shakes his head slowly. _Actually he kinda told me to avoid you._

 

 _Good._ “...No,” he frowns, “I don’t play any _sports._ ”

 

“Oh. Well, do you want to? Because I-”

 

“Go-ku.” He begins tapping his fingers on his biceps in annoyance, “I know we’ve already gone over this, but just… just one more time, do you think while I was in prison I had _fun_ and made _friends_?”

 

“...No.”

 

“And do you honestly think I have any interest in doing that… here?”

 

“...I-”

 

“The answer” he takes a step back, “Is no.” and slams the door on Goku’s face.

 

“Oh.” Goku forces a smile, “...Ok. ...well if you ever change your mind I know a lot of-” There is a muffled ‘fuck off’ from behind the thin wood barrier and Goku takes it as his cue to stop while he’s ahead.

 

 

Week Seven

 

Vegeta was mid conversation with Bulma about interview techniques and why people are so judgmental and then suddenly how great IPA’s are and how much he really needed to try them because,

‘What do you mean you’ve never had beer, Vegeta?’    

‘I mean I was... nineteen when I was arrested.’

‘Oh my god! So, wait. You’ve never had alcohol?! But you’ve been here for weeks! What have you been doing?’

‘...trying to get a jo-’

‘This! Changes! Everything! You have to go out with us this weekend!” she talks over his protests of _I’d rather not-_ with, “No exceptions! Your tab is on me! There’s this bar down the street that we all love and it has the best-’

 

He was a little annoyed by her insistence, but verging on convinced until Goku walks in and changes his mind. “Are you gonna come out with us this weekend, Vegeta?” He asks excitedly.

 

Vegeta rolls his eyes, “Of course not. I can barely stand any of you sober as it is. Especially you.”

 

Goku's expression drops, “Oh.”

 

Vegeta gives him a less than friendly smirk before he gets up and makes a swift exit.  

 

After his eyes sadly follow him out they make their way to Bulma who had an expression he didn’t like. She looked like she knew something. She always knew something, but she didn’t always smile like that. He shifts under her gaze. “What?”

 

She rests her chin on her hand and kicks one foot over the other on the coffee table. “You tell me. You’re the one who gave yourself away literally the moment you walked in the room.” She teases.

 

He blushes and immediately goes on the defensive, "I- no! I did not! ...Did I?”

 

“You did.”

 

He drops onto the couch next to her with a dismal look. “He’s not- it doesn’t matter. He hates me.”

 

She snorts, "Stop being dramatic, I don’t think he hates you.”

 

“Really? Because all I have to do is walk into a room and breath and he yells at me to shut up.” he huffs. “All I’m tryna do is be a good roommate and be nice! I-I…” he frowns, “It’s not like I can help that he’s super hot! That’s not my fault! And I didn’t even say anything! I just… I just looked at him and now” he threads anxious fingers through his hair, “I don’t know. I didn't mean to but I guess it offended him. ...Everything I do offends him. I just... don't want him to hate me for it.”

 

She laughs, “Aw, give him a break, ok? He just got out of prison."

 

"What does that have to do with it? ...You don’t think think he did something bad, do you?”

 

She looks at him with raised brows and there is a long pause as she considers how to interpret his questions, "I don't think… he's a _bad person_ if that's what you mean."

 

"Yeah, me neither. ...he’s just... a jerk." He leans his head back on the top of the couch and lets out a long sigh as he stares at the ceiling, “Why are the hot ones always jerks, Bulma?”

 

“Top ten questions science still can’t answer.” She leans her head on his shoulder as he begins to sulk in the agony of a painfully unrequited crush. "We'll convince that grouch to loosen up and have some fun yet, I'm sure of it."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah misinterpretations. Gotta love 'em.


	4. Regrets part 1

Vegeta is Twelve and his brother not quite four when they are told the car accident was fatal to both their parents. Vegeta has a vivid memory of staring at the blue and red flashing lights outside the front window as the officer told them. A week later they are staying with his father’s most trusted friend, Nappa. An arguably intellectually challenged giant of a man that Vegeta believed incapable of doing just about everything but at the very least was loyal to their wellbeing. Nearly to a fault.

 

At first he could not understand why his father had entrusted this oaf to care for him and his little brother. But as he grows older he realizes they had it pretty good. They were never without hot meals, a roof over their head and a safe home. Nappa always tried to uphold some standard of comfort despite his obvious inexperience in dealing with children. And Vegeta at least occasionally gave him credit for trying. And for introducing him to boxing.

 

Nappa never asked why Vegeta threw the first hit. Only why he didn’t win when he came home with his first black eye.

 

The twelve year old who had never been particularly well behaved with mean streak that wouldn’t quit frowns, “...He was bigger than me.”

 

Nappa scoffs, “That’s no excuse.” Vegeta’s eyes search the floor angrily for a nasty response but Nappa continues, “Do you wanna win?”

 

He looks up at his guardian who now has a big toothy grin. “Yes.”

 

Six months later Nappa takes Tarble to cheer Vegeta on at his first fight in the ring. Though he still had plenty outside of the ring solely for pride and not a title.

 

He tried teach his little brother but Tarble never had much interest in learning how to deliver a decent right hook despite never missing any of his fights.

 

Vegeta is sixteen when he bribes the bookie at an underground boxing competition to put his name in the running. The amature league just wasn't doing it for him. He wanted to _fight._ He wanted to draw blood. Most importantly he didnt want to hold back. Though maybe hed been DQed from one too many matches for arguing with the refs and couldn't box in the junior league anymore. Regardless, it would be in these matches that he would find immense satisfaction in being grossly underestimated by his opponents. 

 

Later that night, bleeding and bruised, he slaps down a thousand dollars on the kitchen table where Nappa and his brother are eating with a proud smirk. Nappa figures, Vegeta was a man now he could make his own decisions, and their means were always stretched thin so anything helped. Besides, _he_   _can throw a damn mean hook, he'll be alright if he finds trouble._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super shorts next ch is gonna be back to the present day and will be up very very soon!!! It's been a wild last two weeks guys, sorry!
> 
> Also be prepared for egregious liberties taken with this AU because I'm gonna start filling in that back story.


	5. Warm Up

It was approaching five thirty in the morning and nearly eight weeks on the outside when Vegeta finally decides it might be worth warming up to, or at least not being a total dick 24/7 to the cute irritatingly friendly buffoon living in the basement. His toes are resting high against the wall in his room and his palms flat on the floor. Sweat is pouring down his forehead onto the wood when he hears it.

 

Thud! Thudthudhud

 

The unmistakable sound of something heavy being dropped to the ground. He pauses and listens with his nose millimeters from the wooden floorboards to make sure he wasn’t losing his mind. And there it is again. Then it is quiet for a few moments. Then again. He knew that sound. Against his better judgement he follows the sound to the door covered in stickers, posters, dozens of pop references he didn’t understand, and a giant G, leading to the basement he'd never seen.

 

Thud! Thudthudthud.

 

Except now he's close enough to hear the exasperated grunting that traditionally accompanies the art of picking heavy things up and putting them down. Then it stops until he hears the familiar clang of a bar being racked.  

 

 _He’s invited himself into my personal space without asking enough times_ … He silently turns the knob and is quiet walking down the stairs. He stops at a poster he had once hung in his own room before he'd been locked away.

 

A loud frustrated grunt pulls his attention away from the picture of the male athlete and he watches Goku struggle to press the bar with what looks like a single ten pound bumper plate on each side just three more inches.

 

He almost laughs because there’s no way those muscles were all show no performance. Sure, everyone had their weakness in the gym, but _he can’t even bench sixty five pounds?!_

 

It is instinctive. He doesn't have time to reconsider an action that has become second nature to anyone who spent years pressing away their problems in a yard. His fingers appear under the bar barely touching it. Goku’s eyes widen as they refocus on the hands now in front of his vision then on Vegeta’s face above him. His arms shoot up in a sudden burst of energy and Vegeta guides the bar back onto the rack with a smirk.

 

Goku flushes as he sits up. He doesn't face Vegeta right away because he's suddenly self conscious that he's sweating and bare chested. _Do I put a shirt on? do I leave it off? Does he mind? Was I super loud? Did I wake him? Is he mad at me? he's sweating too, was he workin' out? ohgodwhyishehere-?_

 

“I didn't know you had all this…”

 

When Goku finally musters the courage to look at him, Vegeta has turned away, his interests already redirected towards the minimalist home gym. “...Where… where are all the weights?” Vegeta looks around the metal racks but only sees the thin bumpers on the bar currently resting over a bench.

 

“Here.” He spins the plate to his left with a smile.

 

“That’s it? I… would have thought you had... more.” _I’m telling you that you’re weak._

 

 _He thinks I’m strong!_ “Yeah! Well, this is… it’s uh, Bulma knows more about it. She designed it. I just get to test it."

 

"Test... what?"

 

"It’s um… I forget what she called it. But it’s like…” He points toward a small panel on the wall. “It’s all adjustable.”

 

Vegeta studies the panel for a few moments, “How does it work?”

 

“I think ...It’s like...  magnetic? The weights and the floor are made from the same… uh, I don’t know what they're made of honestly. But you just-” he walks over to the panel and starts moving through the settings, “set the weight and... It’s really all in the floor.” He taps his foot on the 12x12 black mat all the equipment sat on. “It pulls on the weight. I asked her if it was like gravity and she said no, but that’s what I call it anyway.”

 

Vegeta smirks, “Gravity gym, huh? Can I try?”

 

“Yeah! Definitely! Uh- which-”

 

“It’s already racked above the bench. I'll just use that.”

 

“Ok, let me set it back to-”

 

“What’s it at?”

 

“...two seventy five.”

 

“You can leave it.”

 

Goku smiles doubtfully, “Are you sure? That’s… a lot. And without at least warming u-”

  
“Did I stutter?”

 

Goku raises his hands and walks toward the bench as a spot. He grabs a towel hanging off the squat rack, “Oh, wait let me wipe it dow-” He watches Vegeta lay back and position himself on the sweat soaked worn bench “-or… not.” he says quietly. _I’mneverwipingitagain._

 

Vegeta grips the bar and pushes up, unracking it, then lowers it, then raises it, then lowers it, then raises it eight times before reracking it. He sits up a little breathless. Goku was too but for a different reason, “Does it all work like this? Even the squat rack? What about dead lifts, if the weights are touching the floor?”

 

“Yeah… I was.. I was deadlifting earlier. Even when the plate isn't on the bar, it's still heavy.” He watches Vegeta get up and start inspecting all the equipment with particular interest in the worn lovingly abused punching bag hanging off to the side, before settling in front of the panel and scrolling through the settings. “Do… you wanna use it? I’m sure Bulma would like someone else giving feedback on her stuff.”

 

Vegeta scowls before turning around, “You’d let me use it? It’s in your room.”

 

“Yeah, I mean… I'd... like it if you knocked first, but… I go home a lot anyway, so it’s not like I’m here to use it that much.”

 

Vegeta considers it might be worth being a little nicer to Goku if it meant getting access to state of the art work out equipment. “...Thanks, I will.” He throws a soft punch at the bag before turning at looking around at the rest of the room. The messy bed-couch set up, closet with all of the clothes sitting scattered inside and around it in piles. He walks over to  a small shelf above the TV cluttered with a series of trophies and awards.

 

"You weren't lying. You do play a lot of sports." He eyes them curiously then picks up one that catches his eye. “You... box?” He asks quietly.

 

“I-” Goku decides it’s really hard to deny it when Vegeta’s holding the evidence in his hands. “Yeah. ...Well my dad tried really hard for a while to push me into hockey, and I did like all the fighting but not so much the skatin'. ...I just like to punch things.” He says lightly tapping a closed fist into Vegeta's shoulder blade.

 

“...of course you do.” He sighs and picks up another one. _Just when I thought your dumb pretty face couldn't give me any more reasons to stay away from you.  
_

 

"I'm competing professionally for the first time this year actually. In two months right after I graduate will be my first pro match. That's... always been my dad's condition about going pro was that I had to-"

 

Vegeta's brows which were already in a permanent state of upset knot together even further, “Kakarot?”

 

“Yeah” he wrinkles his nose and looks at the trophy in Vegeta's grasp, “that's my real-”

 

Vegeta whips around and stares wide eyed at Goku, “Kakarot _Son_?!?”

 

“Yeah…” his smile drops when he sees Vegeta’s expression, “why?”

 

“Wait, your father is... is Bardock?!”

 

"...You know my dad?”

 

“Know?! I- he’s-” Vegeta pauses. “Of course I fucking know him! He’s a legend! I- … does... does Tarble know who you are?”

 

“Yeah... I mean kind of. He asked me not to mention the boxing thing before you moved in."

 

 _That little brat! …_ He looks up at the young fighter’s face… _Fuck! He knew I'd jump right back into it given the chance._

 

"But I didn't see... what the big deal was..." He pauses and waits for Vegeta to come out of whatever internal crisis he seemed to be having. "Do you box? Is that why?”

 

“No! I don't!” He says defensively before softening his tone, “I... used to.” Vegeta’s answer inadvertently results in thrums of excitement bolting through Goku’s brain.

 

“Were you any good?”

 

“I was the best!” Vegeta snipes, “Tch. Still am. … What does Bardock do now? Is he still coaching?”

 

“Oh. Na, he stopped that a long time ago. We own a gym off of 5th now. ...I was going to stop by this afternoon. Did… you wanna go?” Vegeta hesitates. “It has a ring, I don’t know if you still box but-”

 

_Say no. Say no. No. No. No. No. Noo. You promised Tarble you wouldn’t. You told you're parole officer you wouldn’t. Told the board. Told yourself. She told you what would happen if you ever stepped back in that ring. You can not step back in that rin- _

 

“Yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, perhaps you're wondering about that "She" ...there's gonna be a gender swap character in this. Shouldn't be a big deal, she doesn't have any *relationships* with any of the other characters. I just felt like, this story could use another female character, it worked well with her desgin and I wanted to practice writing females a little more so, eh. She'll show up in the ongoing backstory flashbacks and then later on in the main story line as a villain (hint hint it's- ) 
> 
> Also why is this ship not called KaGeta ??? sounds so much less awkward than the alternative. I actually don't tag the usual name for their ship in my works because I hate it so much.


	6. Regrets part 2

Raditz hung around champions like a fly to honey despite not being much of a fighter himself. The fifteen year old liked the show and the lights and the glory and the blood and the fact that his dad’s name could get him into any sporting arena in the tri state area legal or illegal.

 

He knew his way around everywhere and had a reputation for being a reliable rumor mill of information. But Vegeta, who was only two years older and a decade ahead in common sense, found the kid obnoxious and nothing short of a con artist. He didn’t understand how Bardock, a five time heavyweight Champion, had such a disappointment for a son or why he ever let him run around a place like this. But he admitted the scruffy long haired kid had a knack for networking, running messages and making a decent buck off of winners and losers alike and it was Raditz who introduced Vegeta to the woman who would ruin his life.

 

It wasn't really Raditz’ fault and in the end Vegeta doesn't blame him. He was just a dumb kid in it to win it like the rest of them and Vegeta should have known better.

  
  


Vegeta rolls his eyes as he walks toward the sorry excuse for locker rooms to wash his blood spattered face and hands while Raditz, who always managed to find his way backstage, trails behind him rambling on and on about who Vegeta’s next fight was going to be with and where and when and maybe if Vegeta compensated Raditz’ investigative efforts he could find out even more and-

 

“Is there a reason you're extra annoying tonight? Leave me alone or I’ll tell your dad you’re betting in his name again.”

 

“No no nono! Please! Don’t do that!” He goes quiet and fidgets, “Yeah. There is a reason.”

 

Vegeta waits, towel over shoulder, hand on hip, but Raditz hesitates, “I'm not going to stay here all night, Rad. What the fuck-”

 

“...There’s… someone who wants... to meet you.”

 

He rolls his eyes and begins washing his face in the dirty porcelain sink, “For the last time, I’m not going to pay you, for anything, especially not for bringing your pathetic idea of a good lay back here and I swear if you take money off one more guy who’s trying to bribe you to introduce us I’ll-”

 

“No, no, I didn’t! I promise, Vegeta! It’s not like that.”

 

Vegeta looks doubtfully at the other teen before turning the water off.

 

“Then what does he want?”

 

“...I don’t know. She... didn’t say. But she was rich, like reaally _reaaallly_ rich. She’s probably a manager or somethin’!”

 

“She?”

 

Raditz grins as he pats the inside pocket of his jacket and pulls out a wad of twenties. “And this was just for the messenger boy! I’m telling you, Vegeta. This could be your big break!”

 

“My big break was Cui’s nose three months ago.”

 

Raditz snorts, “Yeah that was pretty good. But this could be bigger.” He flashes the money again before stashing it away.

 

Vegeta gives him a hard but friendly knock to the shoulder, “Alright. Where is she?”

 

Raditz furrows his brows before leading him outside to a dark sleek car with tinted windows then he apologizes before all but pushing him in when the door opens.

 

Vegeta rights himself before looking around at the leather interior. There is a large well dressed armed man across from him to his left and another nearly identical one to the right. Finally his eyes rest on a woman dressed in white with sleek pulled back hair that almost shined violet in the right light sitting between them. She has a glass of red wine and dark red stain lipstick lips curled into a nasty smile.

 

He pulls on the handle but the door doesn't open. The car has already started moving. “Wait. Wait! Raditz! You little shi- Let me out! Let-”

 

“Oh come now, _prince._ ” He looks at her warily, “Surely you’re not _afraid…_ are you?”

 

His eyes dart around the vehicle looking for another way to escape, “Of course not!”

 

“Good. I've heard fear is a terrible way to start off a friendship.” she says before leaning in close to him, letting the diamond necklace fall out from in between an unimpressive cleavage. “And we’re going to be very good _friends,_ Vegeta.”

 

He shifts uncomfortably and begins to back against the leather seats. He’d hit a girl if he had to in a situation like this but he was already walking enough fine lines at the moment regarding the law and her two guards were starting to look even less friendly than the cops. "...I'm...  I'm not interested. Let me out."

 

She crosses her legs and leans back, “Don’t be crude. This meeting is out of purely… financial interest.”

 

He doesn’t relax and remains unconvinced even as she pulls a violet business card with white cursive print of out thin air between long bony fingers and offers it to him. He takes it hesitantly and reads it.

  


_Frieza Ltd._

 

He turns it over to the other side where it says the same thing. “I’ve never heard of you. Who do you represent? Anyone big?”

 

“Not in boxing. I was hoping you could help me fix that.” She says coolly.

 

Everything she did made him uncomfortable and he rudely flips the card back at her, “I decline. I can do better than you.”

 

The card smacks her face and drops into her wine glass. She lets out a strained exhale through her nose and forces herself to keep smiling as she pulls it out and flicks it on to the lap of the guard next to her. “My, my, what manners. So well deserving of your nickname, aren’t you?”

 

“I’ve always thought so. Anyway, I'm not interested in being managed by someone who doesn’t know shit about boxing. I’m the best. I will only accept the best.”

 

She was growing irritated that he was even more of a hassle than everyone had told her he would be. Spoiled, arrogant and stubborn. It was no wonder no one could work with him for more than a week. “And what makes you think I don’t know _shit_ about boxing?”

 

He tilts his head curiously before reassessing her attire and the luxurious inside of her car with a doubtful brow.

 

“I know all about boxing and more importantly I know all about _you,_ Vegeta. You have such...” she flicks her hand, “talent. Wasted in a place like this.”

 

“Yeah, well, if you knew anything about me then you’d know I box at places like this because I’m not eighteen and they don't ask questions."

 

“Oh, I think you’ll find that’s an easy miscommunication to clear up with the league. If you let me represent you, Vegeta, there won’t be a door in the world that you can’t open.”

 

He pulls on the handle of the car door that won’t open. “I’m waiting.”

 

She sips her wine and narrows her eyes at him, "I already have an match for you. Your pay out for will be triple what you earned tonight."

 

He reconsiders, “Where?”

 

“I’m sure the venue will be unfamiliar. It’s very exclusive. Not any street scum who wants to watch a brawl can just waltz in.”

 

He taps his finger tips against the armrest. He sits back, “...Why ...me?”

 

She smiles and blows cool icy words into his already inflated ego, “It’s like you said, Prince, you’re the best. Your name is becoming quite favorable these days. You’re young, promising, edgy.” She smirks, “I like edgy.”

 

"Why now?"

 

She clicks her tongue with annoyance, "Our most promising fighter dropped. We need a replacement to fill the bracket." She keeps forcing that same thin smile, "You know how it goes."

 

“What are your conditions? No more hitting refs? It was a one time thing, I promise.” He smirks

 

She smiles and runs her tongue across the front of her teeth, "Naturally. And like the man you're to be replacing, you will also go down in the fifth.”

 

There is a long silence as he takes the time to process what she said. “No.”

 

“No?”

 

“No. I do not lose. I have never lost.”

 

She sneers as she sips her wine, “Maybe I didn’t make myself clear.” The car comes to a stop and he looks out the window. His heart stops when he recognizes the building he lives in. “This isn’t a negotiation of terms…. what your little brother would say? Turning down an opportunity like this…. I’m sure he’d be…. disappointed.” She hisses as her guards cock their pistols. It was so satisfying to see Vegeta shrink in fear with his tail between his legs. She didn't want to resort to threats, but if this is what his compliance took… that was his choice to make and she wasn't afraid to follow through.

 

“Tarble? Was it? Cute little monkey.” She runs her finger around the edge of the glass until it hums.

 

He grips his knees to keep his hands from shaking. His throat is cracked dry as he begins to reconsider an offer he was slowly realizing he was not in a position to refuse.

 

“Two weeks is plenty of time to recover isn’t it?”

 

 _Not even close._ He nods before a cold pointed nail pokes under his chin and tilts his head up. He stares up at her as she draws the same finger up his check and around his shut blackened left eye.

 

“The fifth.”

 

And so he lost his first of many fights


	7. Knock Out

Before they walk in Goku stops and fidgets while stealing a glance at Vegeta’s rough exterior. He’s thinking maybe he should have waited until his father wasn’t here before bringing Vegeta because the last thing he needed as soon as he walked in the door was someone else to help humiliate him in front of Vegeta when he was already so capable of doing it all by himself.

“What?” Vegeta looks down at himself.

 

“Nothing.” His eyes dart away and he pushes the door open.

 

Vegeta stops in the middle of the large open warehouse that smells like rubber and iron and inhales deeply. There is a satisfying clanging of weights somewhere around a corner and he sighs immediately drawn toward the slightly raised canvas platform bordered by four worn ropes.

 

Goku looks around at the peeling paint. “It’s… well, it's not much, but we own it.” He says with a proud smile.

 

“Better than a prison gym.”

 

Goku laughs but he’s not sure if he should when he realizes Vegeta isn’t. “...I’m tryna get my dad to replace all the weights with stuff like I have back at the house, the stuff Bulma made. But… he isn’t convinced-”

 

Vegeta walks around eyeing all the equipment and the few aging posters of the legend himself with his trademark red headband wrapped around bleached golden hair. He notices off to one side there is more recent collage of pictures and awards and events the gym had won and conducted over the last few years.

 

One picture in particular of Bardock and Kakarot standing side by side catches his attention. They are holding up a trophy for something he can't quite make out, though in that photo Bardock’s hair is black like his son's. Vegeta was almost pissed at himself for not placing the uncanny resemblance sooner. _Natural blonde my ass. I fucking knew he'd been bleaching his hair back then._

 

Vegeta looks back at Goku who is still going on and on about this machine and that and sits down on a wooden bench by the ring before interrupting him. “Do you have tape?”

 

“Hm? Oh! Yeah!” He opens the bag he has slung over his shoulder and throws a roll of tape at Vegeta. “You can keep it, I have loads.”  

 

He nods silently and begins wrapping his wrists and hands.

 

“I think, uh… I think we have an extra pair of gloves around here somewhere too… let me ask.” Goku put off the inevitable as long as he could but eventually wanders to a back office that reeked of unfiltered tobacco where he finds his father sitting at his desk looking through a stack of papers with a troubled look on his face.

 

“Hey da-”

 

Bardock's sudden turn accidentally scatters some of the papers, “Fuck! You scared the shit outta me. How do you always do that?” He struggles to put out the cigarette in an ashtray that was already full.

 

“I dunno. You knew I was comin’.”

 

He shoves the papers away and stands with agitation waving away some of the smoke, “Yeah, well… did you talk to your brother yet? I haven’t been able to get a holda him all week.”

 

“No, I didn’t but I- uh- do we have any extra gloves?” Goku starts poking around the collection of broken equipment and spare workout materials littered through the office.

 

Bardock opens a metal locker and pulls out a couple of worn black left gloves and has to search a little harder to find a matching right. “Did you forget yours or somethin’?”

 

Goku thinks carefully about his wording, “...you remember how I said... I got a new roommate?” Bardock pauses and holds off on throwing him the gloves. “Well, it turns out he boxes… so… I invited him-”

 

“Oh, he does, does he?” His father tilts his head with a curious smile.

“Yes and before you ask: No.” he says quickly, “He’s just a fr- or- actually we’re not even friends. So, I would _appreciate_ if you didn’t-” He blushes furiously as he tries to defend Vegeta’s honor as a boxer and however unfortunately for Goku, nothing else, “...say anything.”

 

Bardock raises his hands in surrender and follows his son out of the office.

 

Vegeta gives the punching bag he’d been sharing his life story with a break and turns as he hears them walking toward him. Recognition immediately crosses Bardock’s face.

 

“Well I’ll be damned! It’s the fuckin’ Prince.” Vegeta scoffs at the name as Bardock struts right up to him with a wide grin. “What the fuck are you doing here?! You been out long? How was prison? Never mind, don't answer that. How the hell are ya?” He slaps a warm hand on Vegeta’s shoulder.

 

Vegeta shrugs. “Been better. Been worse.”

 

“Ain't that the truth.” Bardock looks at his son, then at Vegeta, then back at his son. “You look good, glad to see you’re keepin’ up. Hopefully my son ain't giving ya too much trouble.”

 

“You have no idea.” Vegeta rolls his eyes and Goku cringes at the expression his father throws him.

 

“Well, what are ya doin’ here? Feelin' sentimental?" his smile drops and he scowls at his son, "...don't tell me you talked him into a fight.”

 

“Don’t give him so much credit.” Vegeta grumbles before hopping up to the platform between the red ropes, “...Talked myself into one.”

 

“Uh-huh… ”

 

Vegeta leans on the ropes, “It's not... _technically_ violating my parole.”

 

"Uuh... huh." He says with a doubtful raise of his head. But Bardock, like Vegeta, decides one fight couldn’t hurt, there was hardly anyone here, and throws him the extra set of gloves anyway. 

 

He catches them with a smirk before Goku joins him on the platform sporting the ugliest most obnoxious orange gloves he'd ever seen.

  


\---

  


Everyone in the gym has stopped their workout to watch.

 

Vegeta is quicker than Goku. Damn near dancing circles around him and he knows to exactly where to be if he wants to stay just out of reach against a southpaw. Goku didn’t expect him to be this good. He didn’t expect him to be good at all and he is still sure if he can land just one more solid hit, he’ll have him. He’s bigger and judging from that jab Vegeta just threw, stronger. Though it was hard to catch an opening when he kept getting distracted by how weird it is to see Vegeta smile.

 

He hears his father try to point something out. “Waaatch his feet, Ka, watch his feet!”

 

Goku looks down and notices Vegeta’s switched his stance. _When did he do that? Wait, he’s a southpaw too-?_ He hasn’t looked away for more than a split second, his hands didn't drop more than an inch, but it was all Vegeta needed

 

_So much for that pretty face, Kakarot._

 

When Goku looks back up there is a hard right hook slamming into his temple.

 

He wakes up to a fuzzy figure crouched over him. _...That punch! What was that punch?!_ It gradually reveals itself as a victorious smirking Vegeta.

 

“I told you Kakarot, I’m the best.”

 

And that was the moment Goku knew he was completely and totally done for. It _had_ been just a crush. But now there was nothing he could do to defend against the onslaught of feelings that smashed into him right then and there. He was sure he was in love.

 

Then his father is crouched over him too and the warm fuzzies that might have been caused by Vegeta or maybe by another mild concussion disappear as Bardock starts saying something about, “you gonna live, boy?” waving his hand in front of him, “what’s your name? How old are you? Where do you live? Why aren’t ya wearin’ a mouth gaurd? You’re lucky he didn’t knock your teeth out.”

 

“Go- mm ...Kakarot…… twenty three…. The corner of west and…. uhh 28th?….” He sits up and shakes his head.

 

“29th, you’re fine.” Bardock stands and confidently assess him as healthy. “I told ya to watch his feet! He has a nasty habit of switching it around.”

 

Vegeta snorts, “I don’t know Bardock, I think you’ve just been teaching him to underestimate lightweights.” Vegeta offers Goku a hand up. He accepts and uses him as support for a few moments as the dizziness washes away.

 

“I’ve done no such thing.” Bardock retorts.

 

“You’re a different person in the ring.” Goku slurs out.

 

“Tch.” Vegeta passes him off to his father who walks his son off the mats and drops him into a chair.

 

Vegeta decides to continue his earlier conversation with the punching bag while Bardock proceeds to check his son over a little more thoroughly.

 

Goku swats away his father’s hand, “I’m fine.”

 

Bardock sighs and finds him an ice pack. Goku takes it without looking away from what has held his attention since he sat down earning him a hard smack to back of the head, "Don't be fuckin' rude. Stop starin'! Christ, Ka, the man just got out of prison."

 

"Ow! I wasn't staring! And what does prison have to do with anything?”

 

He raises a brow at his son.

 

“You shouldn’t judge people by their past.” Goku mutters.

 

Bardock rolls his eyes, “Yeah, yeah, alright, with that face I’m sure he coulda blown up planets before he moved in and you wouldn’t mind... But I guess you're right, the Prince ain't bad. Deadly right hook though, eh? Lucky he didn't catch ya with an uppercut.”

 

“… It was hard to get anything on him. I kept waiting for an opening but… he never gave it to me. I didn’t expect him to know how to guard that well against a southpaw. ...Why do you call him that?”

 

“Ah,” Bardock laughs, “Prince? It’s just a nickname he picked up early on for being such a royal pain in the ass. Only trained his way, on his time, how he wanted. Picked fights with everyone when things didn’t go his way.” Bardock shakes his head, “He was impossible to deal with from what I heard.”

 

Goku finally looks away from Vegeta up at his father, “He isn't one of your old students? He asked if you were still coachin' so I thought-”

 

“....No. Never got the chance to work with him outside of just chattin’ with him after his fights a few times. Woulda killed to though. Had a lotta potential.” His father pulls out and lights a cigarette before suddenly adding, “…You shouldn’t bring him here again. Don't think his... previous manager would be too happy about it if word got around.”

 

\---

  


Vegeta hasn’t stopped grinning that shit eating grin of his the whole ride back.

  
“It wasn’t that great of a hit.” Goku lies.

 

“You must still be confused from the blackout.”

 

“I was only out for like, a second. And that only happened because I was distracted. My dad was talking to me. And it’s not like it was a real match or anything-”

 

Vegeta cackles at his excuses and Goku turns up the music on the radio as a means of protest.

 

“Kakarot…” Vegeta speaks up after a few minutes, “did my room previously belong to... Raditz?”

 

“Yeah.” He watches Vegeta's face contort with disgust.

 

“Uhg! That means it's  _his_ hair I've been finding all over everything?!”

 

Goku bursts out laughing,"No it could be his girlfriend's, she has long hair too."

 

“And you all let me _sleep_ on that mattress!? None of you had the common decency to burn it?! And I thought I couldn't hate you any more than I already did! I'm going to have to start sleeping on the floor!”

 

"It's... Raditz. ...The floor's probably not any bette-"

 

Vegeta smacks him and Goku tries to smack him back but he misses and swerves the car a little. “Focus on the road dumbass. You can _try_ to hit me later but you deserved that one."

 

“Oh I will get you back. You won’t even see it comin.’”

 

Vegeta smirks despite the sinking feeling that this idiot might actually follow through, that he might get Vegeta into the worst kind of trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is turning out to be a slower burn than I thought. Don't worry though, we'll get there. Smut for all.
> 
> Also don't forget to wear your mouthguards, kids.


	8. Regrets part 3

“Too bad you lost your bet, huh?” The bookie says to Raditz with a slimy grin.

“I guess tonight wasn’t my night. Or his. Shit show of a fight.” He shakes his head.

“You’re tellin me! His footwork was sloppy as hell! Like he couldn’t move his legs or somethin’. But in all my days here I’ve never seen someone take so many hits before going down. That kid is either the best or worst boxer there is, I still can’t make up my mind.”

Raditz nods and looks back toward the empty corner of the ring.

 

\---

 

Vegeta sits on the wooden benches of the locker room with all of his weight on his palms instead of his legs. He is sweating profusely as blood drips in slow steady streams from his eyebrows, lip and nose, onto his chest. He is shaking just from trying to support himself and silently screaming at himself to _just. Stand! UP!_ So he can grab his bag and get the hell out of there before-

“Alright ‘Prince’, ya goddam ‘Royalty of the Ring’” Raditz throws the door open, “What the hell happened? You didn’t rule shit! You said you were gonna wi-”

“Shut. The fuck up!” Vegeta grits out through bared teeth. “You irritating hairball.”

He holds out his hand and it takes Raditz a few moments to realize what he’s asking for. “Fuck you, I lost like two hundred bucks, man! I was supposed to double that!”

“Triple, you imbecile. Simple fucking math.” Vegeta waves his hand a little more aggressively and Raditz finally decides to help him up. 

“Ok, well whatever! How are you gonna give me bad info on your own fight?”

A silent gasp of agony crosses Vegeta’s features as he staggers to his feet. “I didn't.” He strains against Radtiz’ shoulder for support, “I was going to win until an hour ago. _”_

He can see that Raditz still doesn't understand and so he hesitantly pulls up the blue spandex of his shorts revealing the mass of black and green bruising on the outside of his left thigh. He snaps the fabric back down with a hiss. “I think… the right side is fractured.”

Raditz eyes widen, “Fuuuck, fuck, Vegeta. What the- and you still went out there like that!? Why didn’t you-”

“Tch. Had to.” Raditz tries to get Vegeta to sit back down but he refuses, “Stop, stop! ...I won't be able to get back up. Just…” he leans on his shoulder.

“How the hell did that happen? Why’d you pick a fight before a match?! Frieza is gonna have your head for thi-”

“I DIDN’T PICK A GODDAMN FIGHT You FUCKING M-!” His voice quits on him and Raditz has to keep him supported. “Moron. … She didn’t trust me to throw this one. And she was right. ...I wasn’t going to. Don't know how she found out but she did. So she had her two fuckin' dogs find me and _correct_ the situation.”

Raditz looks at Vegeta’s shaking legs, “Jeez, what would she have done if you did win?”

“Fuck, I don’t know! I don’t- I thought… one. Just one this season.” Raditz can feel Vegeta buckling under the pain and has to hold him up, “She’s had me throw the last four; FOUR in a ROW before this. And-” He tilts his head to avoid letting his eyes blur from the sudden rush of hot salt, “I will never see a real sponsorship, I will never see a championship. I will never- I haven’t even started my career and it’s already been ended!” He chokes and throws Raditz’ arm away. “...I needed to win this one.” Vegeta limps toward the door just as the last person on Earth he wanted to see walks in.

Her dress drags on the floor behind her and her shiny hair pulled so tight it smoothed out her skin seemed to be pulled even tighter than usual.

Raditz in a bold move with no courage behind it starts toward her, “Hey! This is the male locker room you can’t-”

She snaps at her two guards who make their weapons apparent, “Get that disgusting ape out of here. ...And make sure he doesn’t run his mouth.”

Raditz was a hundred percent sure he didn’t need help finding the door but they made sure regardless.

“Well” she sighs as she circles Vegeta, “At least you went down.” her hands press down on his shoulders and dig sharp dark painted nails into his skin. The pressure forces him to collapse to his knees. She lets go and tilts her head in mock sympathy. “I’ve never had so much trouble with any of my other investments. It's so simple, Vegeta. Do as you're told and get rewarded.” She pulls out a stack of green bills banded together, “Look how much you would have made tonight.” She drops it in front of him.

He cringes through the pain and barely grits out, “I don’t care… about the money.”

“What was that? Speak up, I can’t hear you over the sound of your disobedience.”

“I don’t care about the money!” He has to yell, put everything he can into it or he knows he won’t manage to say it all.

She places her hand on her chest in a gesture of offense, “You don’t?”

“No!” He spits out, “No! I just- just want to win! let me... let me win the bracket, I can w-”

“Vegeta, this... ego of yours... it’s a problem for me… do you know why?”

He shakes his head and stares at the floor.

“Because little Prince, _I_ care about the money.” She taps her fingers along his shoulders, “And I think… you must be lying to me Vegeta. You do care about the money, do you know why I say that?” He looks up at her, “because of the terrible amount of debt you’ve incurred with my bookies.”

He furrows his brows, “Debt? What… debt…? I didn't be-”

“Ohh but you did, Vegeta.” She whispers coolly by his ear causing him to shiver. “Thousands.” She turns his head so he is forced to meet her eyes, “Thousands. You must have been so confident you were going to win tonight. You boxers and your hubris never cease to impress me. What… Bad… Luck.” She sneers as she holds his gaze.

Frieza then stands and presses the bottom of her high heeled shoes against his thigh and he can’t repress the scream of agony. “So you see, Vegeta, why I think you’re lying… when you tell me you don’t care about the money." She presses her heel a little harder, "Test my odds again” His yells have disappeared into silence as he is suddenly very aware the two guards from earlier tasked with escorting Raditz were standing right behind him. “and I’ll make sure you never step into that ring again and you’ll just have to find another way to pay that debt you owe me.” He feels something hard and heavy hit the back of his head forcing him forward onto his chest.

Despite the pain shooting up through his contused IT bands and fractured femur, spreading now to his back and rib cage as more blows followed, the only thing he felt was humiliation that he could not even stand up. He had to take it all laying on the floor.

“Do you understand?”

Vegeta struggles to nod.

Frieza shakes her head at him in condescending disappointment, “Good dog.” and delivers a final kick to his ribs forcing blood out of his nostrils and mouth and suddenly he didn't feel anything.

 

\---

 

He wakes up a day later in a hospital with a brace on his right leg and the worst type of pain along his left side as he coughs. He can feel itchy bandages all over his face and turns with his one good eye to see his brother sitting quietly next to him.

“...Shouldn’t you be in school?”

“...Nappa said I could skip today.”

Vegeta who has definitely, upon awakening, already clicked the morphine button as many times as it will let him is about to try and lighten the mood by convincing his little brother to snag some halfway decent food for him until Tarble breaks the somber silence that has settled in the room.

“I asked what happened before I came in and the nurse told me your injuries… were so bad the doctors thought you might have been in a car accident, but they weren’t sure.” He says quietly, “And I thought… they couldn't be that bad...” He looks at his brothers suspended leg and bandaged face. "Because Nappa picked me up in your car and it looked just fine."

Suddenly Vegeta couldn’t find it in himself to say anything to his little brother. He didn’t even have the heart to look him in the eyes.

 

Vegeta is back in the ring half healed six weeks later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly the "regrets part x" thing is a working name for these flash backs. I wanted them to just be clearly distinguished from the ongoing story line. also guuuhhh these brother moments T_T


	9. Distraction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Please note the rating change. This is going from zero to a hundred in three sentences.

His hand is pressed against the tile wall of the locker room showers as scalding hot water runs down his spine.

He is watching the water run past his feet toward the drain trying to remember what he is waiting for when a warm set of wet hands ghost around his hips and run up his sides startling him. He relaxes when he hears Goku murmur a soft apology.

“Tch. I think you want me to knock you out.”

A soft laugh behind him turns into a sigh as Vegeta guides Goku’s hands to the places he wanted them to be. Teeth move along Vegeta’s neck and jaw until he finally turns his head giving Goku access to his mouth. Vegeta uses the distraction of the ensuing hot heated exchanges to slowly move one of Goku’s hands back and down.

“But Vegeta~” Goku says in a breathy whisper next to his ear as he teases a sensitive entrance, “Someone could walk in.” He punctuates his words with a playful nip along Vegeta's jugular before pressing in to find the small soft spot that makes Vegeta shiver and moan. 

Vegeta responds by placing both palms on the wall and pressing his hips back against Goku’s hand urging him to _get on with it, then_. Instead Goku maximizes Vegeta’s suffering by wrapping his other hand tightly around the base of Vegeta’s cock and squeezing while whispering something Vegeta can’t quite make out over the sound of running water. The only thing he can hear as Goku strokes and works his fingers a little deeper is the mischievous smile in his voice before pressing his face into Vegeta’s neck to suck on the blushing skin there.

Vegeta shuts his eyes and lets his palms, face and chest rest against the cool tile for support as he stands up on his toes allowing Goku to thrust his aching member between Vegeta’s legs for some sense of relief and they rut in heated lust for what seems like hours; Goku pushing up against him, inside him, around him all in fluid even strokes sending sparks through his body and Vegeta is reminded how incredible locker room sex feels after a good match. He thinks Kakarot really isn't so bad after all.He might even be as attractive as he was annoying which, should have been impossible because he was unbearably annoying.

As if on cue, Goku removes his hand from around Vegeta’s cock and slides it up his rib cage. Vegeta quickly finds it and tries to move his hand back down to where it was but Goku won’t budge. Actually he makes it worse by tapping his finger tips against Vegeta's side in the most unpleasant way.

Vegeta’s brows furrow, then he frowns, he even opens his eyes and begins to pull away, “Kakarot. Wh-” He is interrupted by intense painful sensation of pins and needles from Goku’s hand, “-AT THE FU-!?!”

 

He bolts up soaked in sweat with his phone stuck to his side, vibrating where Goku's hand had been. He snatches it and almost chucks it across the room but stops just short when he realizes what happened. He is still disoriented and it takes him a moment to remember where he is as his catches his breath and looks around the room he still sometimes expected to be a cell.

“What the-…. A dream?” He doesn’t even bother looking to see who called because he’s too focused on holding back the sudden urge to burn his hand on the iron rod currently searing his groin with heat.

“Uhhgg, Kakarot... What is your problem?” He falls back into the mattress and drags his palm down his face, “Can’t even leave me alone in my fucking dreams.”

Vegeta was right, he really couldn’t. In fact Goku was now under the mistaken impression that they were super-best-workout-friends ever since their spar two weeks ago. Vegeta has even had to start making a point of using the gravity equipment only when Goku wasn’t home because if he was he would figure out a way to make Vegeta's workout a _buddy_ workout. And while Vegeta was somewhat intrigued by Goku’s unusual methods and he did enjoy a good spar he quickly found the other’s presence to be incredibly _distracting_ and their time spent together _never_ as productive and Goku seemed to think it was.

For many reasons but mostly because Goku wasted so much time _talking!_ As soon as Vegeta walked in the room it was non-stop _boxing this, food that, training this, did you know my first pro match is in six weeks?!_ None of which was bad conversation except that, _YES KAKAROT! SHUT UP! I KNOW! YOU’VE ONLY REMINDED ME THIRTY FUCKING TIMES THAT YOU'RE LIVING THE LIFE I WISH I HAD!_

And damn everything about Kakarot because he still needed to find a job and figure out out to be a productive member of society and get his life together. The _last_ thing he needed right now was a pretty distraction who was quickly successfully convincing Vegeta that he could in fact box again and get away with it; all while doing absolutely nothing for him with that body other than reminding Vegeta that he hadn't been laid in months which really shouldn't have been as high on his list of priorities as it was right now.

But here he was at three in the morning on a Monday after the most vivid dream he'd had in years distracting himself with thoughts about whether or not he could actually knock Kakarot’s head clean off like he threatened on a daily basis and if Kakarot was right in postulating that an uppercut, not a hook, would be the most effective way to achieve that. … _I think_ _he does want me to knock him out!_

Vegeta manages to fall back asleep without amending his uncomfortable situation only to wake up hours later still in need of a cold shower.

 

He steps out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist and his hair hanging cool and damp by his shoulders only to find the very bane of his existence knocking at his door and  _it_ _is way too early for your shit, Kakarot._

“Oh- nevermind- you were-” Goku laughs awkwardly and darts his eyes up toward the ceiling. “Wow, your hair is a lot longer than I thought!” _Why did I just say that?_ It takes immense self restraint for Goku to resist slamming his palms to his face in embarrassment.

Vegeta raises a brow at his comment, “And yours looks worse than usual... Did you really wake up early to bother me? What do you want?”

“Nothing!” He says still looking away, “I’ll just- I’ll ask later!”

He rolls his eyes, “You can ask now if you have to-” But Goku had already made it down the stairs quicker than Vegeta ever thought humanly possible. He shakes his head and walks into his room where he would finally check to see who might have called him at three in the morning and finds several messages awaiting him.

 

(unmarked number)

 

HEYYYYYYEYEYEYYYY prince motherfuckin vegetaaaa!!! I heard you were out of jail! Congrats man!

 

Its rad btw!!

 

raditz

 

its raditz

 

you around?

  
  


call me back.

 

“... how the fuck... No. I am not calling you back.” His phone starts ringing again as he stares at it in his hand and he thinks this weird new device sometimes seemed a little _too_ smart _,_ but it’s not Raditz’ number so he picks up.

 

\---

 

Goku is almost hyperventilating by the time he is in the kitchen where he runs into Bulma who is just trying to scroll through the news and drink her coffee when he grabs her by the shoulders and loudly exclaims, “He was NaKeD! NAKED, BULMA! AHHHHHHHHH-”

“Oh my god! Shut UP- it is like not even nine o’ clock yet!”

“......aaaaaaaahhh” he says a little quieter.

She eyes him warily and sips her coffee, “Seventy percent better, but I was going for a hundred. We're going to need to run another trial.”

He sits down next to her and lets his head fall to the table before mumbling something she can’t understand.

“What?”

But Goku never repeats it, he just sighs and keeps laying on the table.

“...Did you see his d-”

“No! …… he was wearing a towel.”

Bulma scoffs with more disappointment than Goku wanted to hear, “That is not the same thing as naked.”

“It is! He wasn’t wearing anything else- that’s basically naked!”

“It is not. And why don’t you just ask him out already?”

“Because! Bulma! It’s not that simple… What if he’s straight? He’s probably straight. It-” he frowns at her, “it’s not that simple.”

“How do you still not know? You guys hang out together alllll the time now.”

“I don’t- I don't know! We just talk about boxing! Besides we're finally friends now and I don't wanna ruin it-”

“Well, fine. But I’m getting sick of you always whining about how gorgeous he is. If you wait any longer, I’m just going to ask him out myself, because lord knows someone needs to. He's a danger to society with those looks."

“You… you wouldn’t…”

“Yeah, no, you’re right, I already have my hands full with Yamcha.” she rolls her eyes. "I guess it’s up to you to save us all.”

He sulks on the table for several moments before asking, “... Why do you stay with him if you’re not ha-”

Vegeta walks suddenly into the room, still in a towel, smiling widely with an expression that would look happy on any other normal person but didn't quite hit the mark and ended up looking just shy of a warped intimidation tactic on Vegeta. “It worked!”

Both their eyes land on his still damp perfectly chiseled body.

“It worked, woman! You were right. I got hired!”

“What did I tell you?” She says with a purse in her lips, “I knew it would. You should never doubt me. My tactics never fail.”

Vegeta runs his hand through his hair which was just starting to stand back up of it’s own mysterious accord staring back at his phone.

“Now you don’t have any excuses to keep turning us down.”

“What?”

“Yeah. You have to get drunk and celebrate tonight. If you don’t, Goku here is gonna lose his mind.”

Goku looks up at Bulma in disbelief that she would give the whole game away like that but Vegeta is too distracted to think about what she said, “Yeah! Sure, whatever! Let’s get fucked up! But before we do that,” He says walking back up the stairs toward his room, “Kakarot! I’m going to kick your ass today!”

 

“Hoolyy shit. You were right he was naked.” Bulma who had kept her cool until she heard his door shut finally blushed, “he is soOoOoOo hot, oh my god. Yeah if you don’t take him, I definitely will and you’re just going to have to hate me forever because, WOW!”

“RIGHT?!” Goku groans and slams his forehead on the table. “Uhg, and he has the meanest right hook I've ever seen. I swear Bulma it's like, it's like being hit by your car. But better.”

It takes almost ten minutes for Bulma to recover from the hot coffee that went straight through her nose.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is like a 92.6% chance that if you've roomed with someone who's been to prison or in the military or any similar communal living environment you've seen them naked. Almost guaranteed.


	10. Regrets part 4

He sold his car. He sold everything. None of it made much of a dent. He was in so bad no bookie would touch him. He couldn't even bet to win off fights he knew the results for and it was hard to hold down an honest job when he was regularly too injured to work and when he was able he was hardly ever presentable. He couldn't help it. He needed every match. He needed boxing more than he ever had before and Frieza damn near had him pleading to take fights even if he had to throw them. Vegeta was exactly where she wanted him to be and he knew it.

He also knew, because he had been warned quite painfully on several recent occasions, that if he kept up his notorious attitude problem in the ring it would be his brother, not him, who would be would in bad with her.

 

_‘And you don’t want that, do you Vegeta?’_

 

But on nights like tonight when he outmatched his opponent this badly, it was hard not to get cocky.

  


Vegeta smirks through his mouth guard. He can visibly see how upset his opponent was getting over the shit he was talking and his face was priceless. Because Vegeta had already decided if he wasn't allowed to win this one then he was still going to get a little entertainment out of it.

It didn’t matter how hard his opponent wanted to snag him with an uppercut in the fourth round,  Vegeta wasn't going down til the seventh. They had all night to dance while Vegeta thought about his opponent’s nasty footwork that he could have taken advantage of were he given the chance. This guy was just one bad hit from putting himself off balance and it was driving Vegeta nuts.

“Don’t trip on your own feet.” He smirks as he closes in. The other tries to stumble back but Vegeta is quicker and smoother on the draw and manages a nice left hook.

When the bell goes off for seventh Vegeta walks toward his opponent thinking about how Frieza had him on his worst streak yet. _Bitch._ And he was damned if she didn’t let him take the next one.

He steps up almost nose to nose with the other fighter and makes him very uncomfortable with his peculiar brand of smile while they wait for the ref to call.

“Have I been playing too hard to get?”  

“Wha?” The other boxer asks with swollen right cheek.

“You’ve been trying to kiss me with those fists all night.” The ref calls and Vegeta stands upright and tilts his head offering his jaw, “How about I make it easy for you.” Then he drops his fists. The other boxer hesitates and but he hits. And Vegeta goes down. Ten seconds pass and he wakes up spitting out his bloody mouth guard as Raditz starts pulling him toward his corner.

“Are you fucking crazy?! Why the hell’d you drop your hands like that?!”

Vegeta is too dazed to respond with anything other than a jumbled mess of syllables that were supposed to say, “he wasn’t gonna put me down otherwise. Shit boxer.” but never got out anything more than, “xzyxywaddashhhhboxzer”

 

Ten minutes later in the locker room Raditz tosses him an ice pack and Vegeta presses it against his ear. Then his jaw, then his ear again.

“I can’t believe you fucking did that. Everyone is gonna know. Everyone already knows. You’re gonna get banned for fixin’ like a dumbass! And then what?! No more Prince of boxing!” he crosses his arms, “AND! And more importantly ...I’d lose my best betting chip.”

Vegeta snorts, “Because I do it all for you, Rad.” He grins letting blood spill from his mouth as he speaks.

“Fuck. At least it’ll drive your odds through the floor.”

“Tch. That only matters if I get to win the next one.” Vegeta stumbles forward and Raditz steadies him.

There is a clattering somewhere outside the locker room and Raditz throws a still dizzy Vegeta’s arm over his shoulder, “C'mon let's get you the fuck out of here so you even have a next one.”

Vegeta's head lulls back as he laughs, “Yeah. I have a feeling she wasn’t impressed with my performance tonight.”

“And I,” he pushes open the door and checks to see if the coast is clear before walking Vegeta out, “have a feelin' that’s the understatement of the year.”

The drive to Vegeta’s apartment was quiet and he has mostly managed to come back to reality by the time they pull up. Though suddenly he’s not sure. He thinks he might be hallucinating. He stares at the entrance to his building and doesn’t get out of the car.

 _Shit._ He was definitely not imagining that. His exhale is shaky as he drills holes into the tall lanky green haired guard he was so familiar with smoking outside the building’s entrance.

“Meet me around the block.” He jumps out of the car and darts into a dark alleyway alongside his building. His concussion is still ringing in his ears and he is not as coordinated as he should be trying to scale up the fire escape ladders to the sixth floor but he makes it and begins tapping loudly on the window.

It takes a few moments but the blinds go up and Tarble stands there with a spooked expression on his face.

“...What are you doing out there? .... Can you help me with my homework? Nappa’s still at work and-”

“Yes, yes! Whatever, go-” he’s almost out of breath, “Go get your bag and then come with me.”

“What? Why?” There is a knock at the apartment door that turns their heads. “...Vegeta… what’s goin-”

“Get your bag right now and come with me.” Tarble hesitates so Vegeta yells, “Now!”

He is startled by his brother’s anger and quickly shoves the books in to his bag as the banging at the door gets louder. “VEGETA! OPEN THE FUCK UP!”

“Dodoria, too?” he whispers under his breath. _She is pissed._ “Hurry, Tarble! We need to leave.” Vegeta helps him out the window and shuts it before making their way down the old rusty fire escape.

“Where are we going?”

“Away from here.” Tarble pauses and Vegeta tries to come up with more details to keep him moving, “its just for a few hours. I’m gonna call Nappa and we’ll figure it out, ok? But we can’t be here right now.” He jumps down off the ladder and waits for his brother.

Tarble looks down at the concrete, then at Vegeta.

“What? Jump!”

He hugs the ladder tightly, “...It’s too far.”

“It’s not too far. I did it, you’ll be fine.” but his little brother doesn’t move. “Tarble you have to jump. Here-” he holds out his arms, “I’ll catch you.”

Tarble rolls his eyes, “....I don’t need you to catch me.” He then aims for the part of the alley that looked the most forgiving. And he was right, the pile of black garbage bags were probably a lot softer than the concrete but as he gets up he realizes he is soaked in… something that smelled an awful lot like orange juice though not even close to the same color.

“Should have let me catch you.” Vegeta laughs as he guides Tarble around the corner. “This way, come on.”

“Shit!” Raditz nearly jumps when they get into his car. “Man, your neighborhood is fuckin’ rough. I saw like three drug deals just no-” Vegeta gestures to his little brother and Raditz puts the car into drive apologetically. “Hey little dude. You alright?”

“...No” he says shyly as the smell of mushed oranges permeates the small enclosed space.

Vegeta looks back at his brother, “I would have caught you.” Tarble responds by looking out the window with a learned scowl.

“So… where next?” Raditz asks.

The older sighs, “...Know any good places to eat? We need to lay low for a couple hours.”

“Uh, fuck yeah I do.”

Vegeta hits in him the chest, “Watch your damn mouth around my brother.”

“You curse more than he does.” Tarble says quietly.

Raditz takes them to a pizza shop that at least smelled better than it looked. Vegeta is about to walk up to the counter when Raditz waves him over to a booth. “They’re already on it. I come here all the time. They know the deal.”

Tarble slides in next to Vegeta and takes several moments in the good light to scrutinize Raditz who had never felt so unjustly judged by someone so small.

“Vegeta,” Tarble tugs on his older brothers arm, “why are you dating someone so ugly?”

Raditz’ face drops and Vegeta lets out a chuckle, “Don't be rude, Tarble.”

“Yeah! Ya little-”

“I would never date Raditz.”

“Yeah... wait, but not ‘cause… I’m ugly. I’m not ugly.” Vegeta avoids the offended expression looking for reassurance, “I’m not ugly! ...right? Vegeta? I’m not-”

“Your hair looks like a girl’s but... one that never brushed it.” Tarble says quietly.

“What the-” he stammers indignantly for a moment, “he’s even meaner than you are. And how?!”

“We value honesty in my house.” He says doing nothing to hide his amusement.

When the pizza comes out Raditz is still mopping with his arms crossed glaring daggers at a twelve year old and Vegeta.

“Get over yourself.” Vegeta pushes two of the five pizzas toward him, “You're only a little ugly.”

Raditz rolls his eyes and reluctantly devours them in just under ten minutes.

 

An hour has passed and Vegeta flips his phone closed, then open, then closed for the hundredth time before laying his head down over folded arms on the table.

“Still nothin'?”

“No… Nappa works the graveyard shift, I probably won’t hear from him until the sun's up.”

Raditz tries to mask the concern he knew Vegeta didn’t appreciate from anyone, not even friends and looks at the last untouched pizza. “Hey,” he pushes it closer to Tarble, “even though you're worse than your brother, you gotta eat too little dude. C’mon. It’s on me.”

“...I’m not hungry.”

Vegeta doesn’t lift his head from the table and waves it off, “He’s never hungry.”

“Huh...” Raditz half smiles at Tarble. “That’s weird. Vegeta didn't tell me that.”

“...tell you what?” Dark curious eyes search him critically.

“I- nothing.” He shrugs, “Never mind.”

Then Tarble says more quietly as if Vegeta's head being buried deep in his arms meant he couldn't hear everything they were saying, “Tell you what?”

Raditz scoffs, “Well it's just that he can eat _two_ pizzas in a sitting...and you can't eat any? I don't know, I could have sworn Vegeta told me his little brother was a pizza eating champion, but… I don't know. I guess he forgot to tell me he has another little brother.”

Tarble side glances toward Vegeta. “No, I'm his only brother.”

“I don't believe you. In fact I’m startin’ to doubt you’re his brother at all.”

Tarble frowns first at Raditz, then at the pizza.

Vegeta has listened to this odd challenge and turned his head to watch it unfold. He is sure he didn’t blink, he’s sure, but suddenly six slices were gone and Tarble was looking a lot better than he was ten minutes ago. And then he was leaning against him asleep.

“....How the fuck did you get him to do that? I can never get him to do anything. Especially eat. He’s picky as hell.”

“Ah, something I learned from my dad. My brother is a nightmare. Not with food… just… everything else.  Actually, food is the only thing you don’t have to argue with him about.” he shakes his head and shoves another slice into his mouth. “He’s single handedly saving this place from goin’ bankrupt.”

“You have a brother?”

Raditz nods, “Not much older than yours.”

“....I didn’t know that.” he snorts, “sounds like a stubborn pain in the ass.”

“Yeah, he is and SOMEHOW he’s still the favorite child.”

Vegeta stares as Raditz starts working on Vegeta’s leftover crust. “....I can’t imagine why.”

“Me neither!” he says with his mouthful. There is an almost comfortable silence as he polishes off the last of a soft drink through a straw when something catches his attention. He looks past Vegeta at something outside the store front then diverts his eyes quickly. “Vegeta. Keep your head down.” He says quietly.

“What?” he starts to lift his head and turn around.

“No, what did I just-” Raditz kicks Vegeta's leg, “Get under the table.”

Vegeta nudges his brother awake and quickly ducks them under the table with his backpack. They hear a bell jingle as the door opens and two sets of footsteps walk in despite the cashier’s insistence that the kitchen was closed. They keep going until they stop next to Raditz. Tarble is almost shaking and Vegeta presses a finger to his mouth. His little brother nods and stays silent.

The silence is deafening despite Vegeta almost being able to hear the snarls in their expressions as Raditz speaks, “Haha… Zarbon…. Dodoria… wow… you guys... eat here t-?” Vegeta hears the shuffling of cardboard and then something slam down on the table.

“Don’t be disgusting. I don’t eat trash.” Zarbon says and Vegeta is sure he punctuates with a flip of his hair. “Dodoria, check the bathrooms and the kitchen.”

Fat Heavy footsteps make their way down the line of booths until a door slams open in the back.

"what are… what are ya doin’ here?" Raditz strains out, his voice muffled by something.

“Well, we couldn't find Vegeta so we went looking for the next best thing.”

Vegeta can see Raditz' fingers nervously tapping against the seat. “Why-what did I-”

“Where is he?” Zarbon says in a low dark voice.

“....I dont know.”

“Do you honestly expect me to believe that?” Zarbon presses his hands to the table which he later regrets because there is grease all over it. “You two faggots go everywhere together.”

“Hey, I’m not-”

Vegeta sees Raditz raise out of his seat as the table above them clamors.

“Listen you filthy mongrel. I know you know where he is.”

“N-no I-I dont!” he chokes out.

There is a shuffle as Zarbon pulls something out of his coat.

“No, please! Please don’t-! I swear, I don't know!”

Vegeta pulls Tarble close to him and they back as close to the booth wall as they can get and for the first time in his life he is glad he is so short and that his tiny little brother is just that.

Raditz’ toes are barely touching the floor and Zarbon looks around at the table then at Raditz, “Is that… you?”

“Is what me?”

Zarbon narrows his eyes with disgust, “You actually smell… like trash.”

“Oh, haha. Yup. that’s… that’s me.” His crooked nervous smile offering zero assurance. “Trash. Just like the food I eat.”

“...You must be such a disappointment to your father.”

Dodoria returns catching his breath, “ain't no one in the back. Checked every damn place that cocksucker could hide.”

Zarbon scoffs, “Fine.”

Vegeta watches Raditz suddenly drops down into his seat.

“You tell him Frieza is looking for him. And you tell him he has one more chance before he ends up like his predecessor.”

“....Who was his-”

“Dead! You-” he huffs and lowers his voice, “Christ, you are stupid. So if _either_ of you want to keep your heads, tell him he’ll show up at his next match and he’ll box like he's _supposed_ to.”

“Right. Ok, if… I see him…  I'll tell him- wait, does that mean he’s gonna wi-?” There is a loud thud.

“That! Is up to Vegeta.” There is a long pause before they finally turn heel. The bell on the door jingles but the two remain under the table for several minutes just to make sure.

 

When they do come up Raditz notices a stark difference in their expressions. Tarble was white as a ghost, shaking, and on the verge of tears while Vegeta was grinning.

“...What the fuck is your problem?” Raditz asks wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.

“Are you deaf? I’m going to win the next one!”

Raditz blinks a bit unnerved this put Vegeta in a good mood, “are you fucking serious? That's what you got out of that?” he motions to the door. “What does it matter? You cant even bet with her bookies anyway.”

“If I bet in someone else's name I can.”

“Yeah but who on earth would be dumb enough to let yo- ohh no. No. No. No. Noooo I am not doin' that. Not after this, not after last time, not the time before that. You're gonna get me killed and-”

“Raditz! Shut up! When will my odds ever look like this again? This is a lucky fucking break! I know I can win! If I can bet, I can clear my name in her fucking books. I can get out of this. I can- this is what I've been waiting for. This is my big fucking break. This is it. This is my chance out!”

“Even if you can pay her back, do you really think she’s gonna let you go? And how do you know she’s not fucking you over?”

“That’s... that's a risk I’m willing to take.”

Raditz looks at Tarble who is now crying very quietly then doubtfully at Vegeta. "You might be."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy guacamole this took 5ever. 4realsies. I hate this chapter but I am satisfied with it. I had enormous issues trying to decide the chronology of events in V's past and also how this scene needed to end among so many other things //however// I am enjoying taking severe liberties for the sake of story telling smh. Forgive me. It should pan out nicely and more or less in character by the end. But I stand by the fact that Raditz ain't no snitch.
> 
> On a positive note, I've written //entire// chapters that will appear later. I'm... uh... missing some stuff between here and there but, the story is fairly well mapped now so my pace should pick up.


	11. The F Word.

Vegeta had managed to put it off until Friday. Though putting it off meant there was ample time for his little brother to catch wind and suddenly it became a household issue because: 

 

“No, you’re not coming with, you’re not even old enough.”

“I… but I always go, Vegeta, c’mon be coo-”

“What do you mean you always go? How?”   


He rolls his eyes and says with a matter-of-fact smile, “Duh, I have a fake.”

“A what? Who gave you a fake?!”

“Uhh…” 

He scowls and curls his fists, “Because I swear to god if I find out it was Raditz-”

“What?! Why…” he looks away uneasily, “Why would you think that? ...of all people...” 

Vegeta narrows his glare, “Because he was your roommate! And he’s a piece of shit! Fuck! Why was he even living here? I told you not to contact anyone involved in that shit! And to tell me if they contacted you! Do you understand the situation we were in-?!”    


“Ok, first off, the situation  _ you  _ were in and second, who told you _ - _ ?”

“Arrg! That's not-! Who the fuck do you think?! His brother lives in the basement!”

Tarble exhales with irritation, “damn” he mutters, “I told him fifty times not-”

“Not to tell me? Well, he’s an idiot who never shuts up, so he did. And, I live here Tarble! I would have figured it out eventually! ...His hair is literally everywhere.” He mutters.

Tarble crosses his arms, “I know but I thought it would take longer and- and wait, you… you've talked to Goku? When, even? He’s like… never here.”

Vegeta shifts and avoids eye contact, “Not by choice. I don’t know… He just kind of shows up and...” he waves his hand, “...does annoying Kakarot things…” 

Tarble furrows his brows at the name, “...Kakarot…? Oh my god. … you- … he’s trying to get you back into boxing, isn’t he? He fucking would! Because he- shit! Did you already know that? Goku boxes? That he’s like pro or some shit? Does he know that you-” Tarble’s posture drops. “I knew this would happen, I knew! I knew it was a bad idea to have you stay here and I knew he wouldn’t keep his mouth shu-”

Vegeta rolls his eyes, “He's not even pro. Fights like an amateur. You can tell him I said that. Or- better, I’ll tell him I said that.”

“...How do you- ...You’re  _ already  _ boxing again!?” He says with disbelief, “It hasn’t even been six months, Vegeta! And you promised me you wouldn’t! You promised me ONE THING! And-” 

“I’M NOT! I’m not!” Tarble scrutinizes him with doubt, “....It…it was just the one time because Kakarot is really fucking irritating and doesn't leave me alo- Ahhg! It doesn’t matter! No. I’m not boxing again!”

Tarble rolls his eyes, “Sure, whatever. You can box and violate your parole but I can’t drink and celebrate something  _ with  _ you for the first time in nine fucking years or- OR hold you accountable to literally the only thing that matters!” he throws Vegeta’s scowl back at him, “You know, having a fake isn’t actually a big deal. Unlike  _ murder.”  _  He thinks he's being a witty smart ass but that was the wrong thing to say and Vegeta shoves him against the wall.    


“You think that’s a fucking joke? You think my life is a fucking joke, Tarble?”

“N-n-” Vegeta shoves him again.

“You’re supposed to be better than me! And how- … how could you not tell me he lived here?! ...Is that really how you’ve made so much money? Through Raditz and his stupid get-rich-quick schemes? Through-”

“No! No!” Tarble spits out, “Everything I have, I have worked hard for! From my work with Capsule Corp. From the hours and hours I have spent in the library after school since you went away because I had nothing to go home to after you-! No one to ... ...I didn’t even know he lived here in until after I moved in!” Vegeta relents and backs off but Tarble continues, “Bulma just said she was splitting the house with her friend Goku and his brother and…whatever! When I realized who it was- He’s not a piece of shit! He’s cool! Fuck you! Don’t be mad at him just because he’s been a better brother to me the last two years than you ever were!”    


The shock on Vegeta's face is immediate and he stumbles back against the opposite hallway wall.

“...I- I’m sorry. I didn’t mean-” Tarble begins to mutter out an apology as his face starts to crumble but Vegeta embraces him before he has time to see it fall. “Do you know what Raditz said to me? When I moved in?” Vegeta shakes his head. “He recognized me immediately and he asked me how I’d been.” He says softly. “He pulled me aside and asked me how you were too… instead of being like everyone else and pitying me and asking me about what you did- and all other kinds of bullshit. He’s not a piece of shit, Vegeta.” His older brother remains quiet not knowing what to say, “And you know what? He understood why I missed having around someone who put me in danger again and again and again out of pride, why I was mad when got your sentence extended, or when you blew your board the second time! He got it! I could talk to him about it!” He exasperates and hugs his brother tighter, “No one else understood. It was nice having someone around who knew you because Vegeta” The older brother can feel tears soaking through his shirt, “I did miss you!  And I’m … I’m sorry I said that.… I just... It was really hard. Especially when you were in solitary.” 

He can’t hold back the years of anger and love muted between bullet proof glass. Things that could never be expressed in pencil. Things he didn’t want to say, didn’t get a chance to say, but needed to say the first time he got to hug his older brother ... _ Welcome home. _

“I know.”

“You never wrote back when you were there.”

“Not true. I wrote one.”

“Your handwriting was so bad I couldn’t read it.”

“Tch, devil’s in the details. I thought I went crazy in solitary.”

He laughs through his tears and pulls back, “You must have. Going out with everyone except me? You can’t do that. You’d be… you’d be the worst brother ever. … and I’ve seen Rad start bar fights just to watch Goku finish them.”

“Same dumbass different year. I find it hard to believe he was in college.”

“Yeah, he was on like, his third gap year in a row. ...He moved out kind of suddenly actually.  I haven’t seen much of him since. ...If you see hi-” 

Vegeta shakes his head, “No, he’s a bad influence.”

Tarble scoffs, “Ok. Says  _ you. _ And for the record I’m a bad influence all by myself. I drink  _ all  _ the time. I’m not going to get in trouble. The bartenders know all of us anyway.”

“What? All the time? I’ve never seen you-”

“All the time.” He grins mischievously, “I’m just not a belligerent garbage can of cheap beer like Yamcha.”

“....What a relief.” He says with a not quite neutral expression, not quite sure if that was really the most reassuring way Tarble could have put that.

“Yeah, trust me. It's fine. I'm cool.”

  
  


\---

  
  


So here he is on Friday afternoon, because apparently ‘day drinking’ is also cool and if he waited any later Yamcha would have been out of practice, with five drinks in front of him that he had to finish. Everyone picked their favorite (including the bartender) and Vegeta, the impartial and unbiased was tasked with deciding which was best.

 

Vodka and- 

_ “Wait what is it called?” _

_ “It’s- don’t worry about it, it’s an energy drink-” _

_ “A what?” _

_ “it’s good, it’s really good, it’s basically soda but with even more caffeine and... I don’t know- just drink it.”  _

That was first; Tarble’s. And it was terrible. Sugary fire the whole way down.

 

Then Bulma’s.

_ “But... I don’t like tea.” _

_ “Vegeta. There’s no tea in it.” _

_ “Then why is it called-” _

_ “There’s no tea in it, drink!” _

It was ok. He could hardly taste the alcohol and she said that was the point.

 

He got an IPA from Goku. It was bitter but not bad and about what he expected from everyone’s descriptions. But then Goku supplemented it with all sorts of information about how there were about a million other types of beer and they’re all really good and he should try those too and- Vegeta just sort of tuned him out after that. 

 

He had chosen whiskey himself because he remembered always seeing it in movies drank by all the bad guys and all the  _ cool  _ guys. Vegeta internally remarks that he could be  _ cool. ... _ or if not he at least still made a decent bad guy. It... did not have a bad aftertaste at least.

 

He makes it through them all more or less undaunted and hesitates on the last only to argue with the bartender, 

_ ‘18? Your name’s 18? I don’t believe you. That’s a prison name-’ _

_ ‘Vegeta!’  _

_ ‘What, Tarble? It is!” _

on why there were so many steps to drinking a shot of tequila, why he couldn’t just drink it straight like whiskey. 

 

“It's not that many steps,  _ Vegeta _ ,” She says with annoyance as she tucks her short blond hair behind her ear again, “just do it.”

 

So he does. 

 

Lick salt. 

Drink tequila. 

Bite lime.

 

There is a long pause before he slams the shot glass down on the table. “The winner is decided! Bring me another of that!” 18 happily obliges and subsequently destroys him in a drinking challenge he mistakenly issues. 

  
  
  


An hour and a half later Tarble yells to his brother who now has a full understanding of the effects of alcohol and why people did this so often, “Wait, wait no don’t drink it yet! Vegeta!” 

He stares down at the glass of beer and small shot of a dark liquid placed in front of him. “.....Why?” 

“Because I'm gonna get them for everyone, we’re gonna all do them together.”

“...What is it?” 

“Oooh! I wanna explain it!” Goku says excitedly. Tarble argues but ultimately relents. “Ok, so you drop this in” Goku holds up the shot, “and then you have to drink it all in one go as fast as you can!”

“As fast as I can?” He says with wavering confidence that this would be as good as Goku seemed to think it was, “…. fuck it!” He drops the shot into the glass and down the hatch it all goes. He nearly falls off his seat in the process but luckily Goku was there to stabilize him and also be extremely impressed at Vegeta’s apparent knack for chugging enormous volumes of alcohol,  _ or anything really, _ in a single sitting.

“Was that was a shot of cough syrup? What was that?” He looks into his empty glass, “Believe it or not I think that was the worst thing I’ve ever swal-”

“Aw, Vegeta! You were supposed to wait for everyone, now we have to do another one, Tarble, wait! We have to get another one Vegeta already drank his!”

But Tarble hadn’t even ordered one yet for himself and was caught up in whatever Bulma was giggling about. He didn’t hear Goku who really wanted to hurry this up because he desperately needed to break the seal.

“Ok. Hang on- I’m gonna leave for like two minutes and then when I come back, we’ll get another one. But not until I come back! Because we’re supposed to do them together.” He hops off the stool and disappears into the small crowd of people that had begun to trickle in.

“Hey, Vegeta.” Bulma nudges him with a pack of cigarettes in her hand, “you want one?”

He shakes his head and waves her off but not without noticing Tarble being quick to follow her out. Vegeta grabs his arm, “When the hell did you start smoking?” He accuses. “Bulma! You let my little brother sm-”

“N-no! … She doesn’t! I don’t! I just- Vegeetaa~ … c’mon, be  _ cool _ . She shouldn’t be alone- ...outside... and-”

“Oh let him go Vegeta, don’t worry. Tarble _ never _ gets in to trouble.” 18 says with an edge of playful sarcasm she knows Vegeta is a little too drunk to catch and he reluctantly lets go.

“....I feel like I’m missing something.”

“Oh, you are.”

“What. What am I missing?”

Eighteen leans in with bright mischievous eyes that spoke nothing but trouble, “I am SO glad you asked.” She pours them each a drink. 

  
  
  


When Goku comes back he sees Vegeta alone at the bar a captive audience to 18, who could spread rumors faster than his brother and a sweat breaks out on the back of his neck. 

  
  


“Ok- ok, let me get this right,” he does his best to try and recap the important parts, “Tarble, my Tarble, likes Bulma.”

“No, he _ loves  _ Bulma. You can see it on his face every time she brings up quantum whatever.” She rolls her eyes.

“Loves, ehg. Ok, But she doesn’t give him the time of day because she is too busy miserably dating…” he makes a face, “asshole of the year.”

“God knows why.” 18 pours another drink for them. “I think she just does it so she can get season tickets. You won’t believe how long the wait list is for them even if you are rich.”

“I don't know.  Maybe he's that good of a lay. He must be. He has no other remotely redeeming features that I've been able to identify. So that must be it.”

She scoffs, “Ew. No. ...Maybe. If cheating badboys are her thing. But, even still your brother is way cuter. And actually a decent human being. Bulma doesn't know what shes missing.”

“You clearly like him, why don't you date him?"

"Because. I've already got a man. He’s a cop, too” she smiles. “So, watch out bad man.”

“Oh, shit. He is?” He looks around with a nervous look that was only half kidding.

“Don’t worry, he’s not here tonight. And since your with my favorite charming idiots from the corner house, I’ll make sure he never gives you any trouble.” She flips her hair.

He grins at her and finishes the third drink she poured him. “... whatever happened to Raditz?”

“Oh, you mean our resident dog? I think he ran off with another bartender who used to work here, Chi Chi.” 

“A miracle.” he slurs with his hands outstretched, “He found someone who can tolerate him.”

She snorts, “Yeah, she was way out of his league.”

“Everyone is out of his league. Is-” Vegeta hiccups, “Is his hair still long?”

“Below his ass now.”

“I knew it. Ohhh my god, if Tarble had picked that up from him too,” he runs a hand through his hair in not quite fake distress, “I think I would have lost my fucking mind. ...So ok… that’s- we’ve covered everyone, right? No. Yeah. Wait, no. Kakarot! What’s his deal? I never see him with anyone!”

18 laughs. “You mean Goku?” She is about to tell him she's had her suspicions for a while now but had yet to be confirmed and so wouldn’t it be Vegeta’s lucky night, but the devil himself walks up before she can do any damage, “I don’t know, Goku. What is your  _ deal _ ?” She hands him a drink with a sly smile.

He sits on the seat next to Vegeta, “...haha my what?”

“Your deal pretty boy, where’s your love life? You can’t train all the time.” Goku almost chokes on whatever it was that eighteen made him. “Where do you disappear to? And don’t tell me it’s  _ always  _ the gym.” Vegeta pushes on his shoulder.

“Uh…” he laughs nervously and looks desperately at 18 silently asking her to shift the topic. 

But she denies him. _ I knew it.  _ She throws her head back with laughter, “You’re on your own, ‘pretty boy’” and she leaves them to attend another customer who’d been trying to flag her down for almost ten minutes.

 

Goku attempts to reflect the question, “My deal? What's uh… what's _ your _ deal, Vegeta? You’re… almost thirty. Are you like… still single or... or what?” He immediately reprimands himself for letting the words leave his mouth but thinks on the bright side, maybe Vegeta won't remember that he asked. _  
_

Vegeta lets out a loud bark of laughter and smacks Goku hard on the back, “Ha! What a stupid question! You're hilarious when you're drunk!”

“Oh. Haha. Yeah… stupid question”  _...what the heck is that supposed to mean?!  _

Vegeta looks at Goku curiously and for the first time since they've met Vegeta has the chance to observe Goku in a social setting outside of their house and the ring.  _ Hot as all hell and still weird as fuck _ .  _ What is with him?  _ Vegeta watches Goku shift this way and that drinking quickly to drown whatever was going on in that usually empty head. ... _ Is he… nervous?  _

It would have downright adorable if Vegeta had not felt personally responsible for his discomfort. He certainly didn't seem nervous when Tarble and Bulma were here. _...is it me?_ Vegeta frowns. “What the hell is this?” He gestures to Goku's now reddening expression and awkward posture. “Why do you do that? Are you really still afraid of me?” 

Anxiety quickly turns to bewilderment, “No. I'm not afraid of you. I've never been afraid of you.”

Vegeta nods doubtfully.

“...You’re too short to be very scary... If we were ever in a real fight, I think I’d just pick you up and hold you arm's length away.” 

Vegeta busts out laughing and Goku finds the courage to relax a little.

“Well, whatever it is, I hate it. Even _ I’m _ out here managing to have a good time and I  _ hate  _ having a good time, Kakarot.” He throws his arm over Goku’s shoulders and pulls him closer, “You’re usually so happy it irritates me. How are  _ you _ not having a good time?”

He laughs shyly inwardly dying over Vegeta having his arm around him, “I am having a good time.” 

“You're a terrible liar Kakarot, really. Try harder.” Vegeta leans in close enough for Goku to smell all the alcohol on his breath, close enough to see the sweat on his neck. “Drink more. That’s what we’re here for isn’t it? I’ve never done this before so help me out. Everyone says you’re the local drinking champion.” 

“Oh, yeah… well that’s- that’s- I usually only drink like... crazy when it's game night- I always- game night is bad.” he admits with a smile.

“What game?”

“Hockey.” Vegeta rolls his eyes at the answer, “Uh, baseball too ‘cause of Yamcha... and me and Rad always watch the UFC fights, football sometimes but our team sucks.”

Vegeta snorts and lets go of him in favor of slumping his cheek into his palm, “I didn’t know those were drinking games.”

“...Any game’s a drinking game… if you’re drinking.” Vegeta laughs and Goku can’t help but let his soul melt at the sound and he thinks this might be a good time to try and get to know Vegeta without getting yelled at and after an agonizing moment of consideration he settles on a topic of conversation.

“...What's your record?” Vegeta stares at him for clarification. “Your boxing record. I wanna know how many wins, how many losses.” 

Vegeta hesitates, “Depends how you count it. My…  _ manager _ would tell you 5 and 9 ...But it’s better to ask me… what I boxed in prison.”

“...They let you box in prison?”

“No. They definitely did not.” He looks at Goku wondering if that was a genuine question or if he was that much of a smart ass.

“Oh.. uh” he pauses for a moment to try and determine what that means but never settles on anything definite, “so what did-”

“16 and O. I never lost.” He stares at his glass with discontent. “There were more fights than that, it’s prison. But that's the official count.”

“That… sounds kind of like they let you box.” Goku says with a cheeky grin.

“It does sound like that, doesn’t it? But as it turns out, fighting rings and contraband based book systems like the one I tried to set up are  _ very _ illegal. So who do you think was put in solitary when the wrong guard lost their bet?”

“...Oh… what was that like?”

Vegeta leans forward onto the bar and sighs, “Terrible, Kakarot. It was really… Don’t ask me that again.” he let's all of the words of the last sentence bleed into each other with drunken regret.

“Sorry....”

Vegeta shoots him a glare but the genuinely apologetic look on Goku’s face makes him pause.  _ Does he have to do that face? _

“...Why did you lose so much before-”

“I don’t know! Why is everything that comes out of your mouth all boxing and sports and uuuhhhg, Kakarot, shut up! Do you do literally anything else? Ever?”

“......I like fishi-”

“That is still a sport!”

“I- well, what do you like to do?” 

Vegeta raises a brow and shrugs.  _ Nice guys like you.  _ “Argue with idiots.” 

“Oh, so you like talking to my brother.”

Vegeta lets out another genuine laugh and Goku smiles. He watches the tiny creases in Vegeta’s face light up with an emotion other than general malcontent and suddenly he felt so nervous he could feel his stomach turning. Vegeta was so close, against him even, and there was no way he could handle this any longer. He had to say it. He had to. He couldn't go one more minute around Vegeta without-

“Actually... Vegeta” he says quietly, “I wanted… to ask you about…” he fiddles with the small tumbler glass in his hands, “about somethin’...”

  
  


Tarble and Bulma stumble back in with Bulma still arguing the metaphysics of particle theory when Tarble lands himself right between the two under the pretense of flagging 18 down for one last drink.

“See, according to Dirac’s equation you can’t just- … Wait, get one more for me too!” Bulma chides sitting on Goku’s other side.

Now Tarble was talking over him, saying something to Vegeta and 18 and everyone was laughing except for him and he's pretty sure he was never going to forgive Tarble and definitely not Bulma for interrupting.

He closes out his tab without managing to get another word to the love of his life.   
  


 

Vegeta hardly notices amid all the commotion of leaving and is shocked to find that you are at least five times more drunk when you stand up and he then decides out of  _ pure _ practicality, since Goku was the  _ strongest, _ to use him on his stumbling walk home as support. It was definitely not because it was the perfect excuse to lean all over the tall warm body and experience the closest thing to getting laid he was going to get until he figured out this whole job and work and social life thing everyone seemed to be so into. And what even was the gay scene like on the outside these days? He had no idea. Although he vaguely remembered Tarble joking with him in prison about how, “don’t worry, there's an app for that.” and he didn't really get it then, but he got it now and maybe he should ask for the name of it so he can download it. But for tonight-

  
“kakarrott, even thoughhIkindofhateyouuu, you’re agoodfriend.” he remembers saying as he tripped, nearly pulling Goku down with him definitely letting his hand slip somewhere lower than he should have. By complete accident. Then suddenly he was in his room. Alone. There was a cup of water in his hand.  _ When did that happen? _ He doesn't remember getting in the house. Or taking off his shirt. And then he was asleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof. Long chapter. Didn't think this Au was going to stray so far, but here we are.


	12. Hangover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brothers being brothers.

When Tarble wakes up and stumbles bleary eyed, head absolutely banging into the hall he is greeted by Goku. Well, not quite greeted. Goku, who is standing outside Vegeta’s door with his hand raised as if he were about to knock, barely stutters out a good morning. Tarble however accepts this situation without offense or question because he was hungover and about as good at reading subtext as his brother. The two continue to stare at each other for several seconds before Tarble’s sleep plagued mind figures out how to interact with people again.

 

“...He’s… probably gonna kill you if you try to wake him up to train or work out or whatever you do that is definitely _not_ boxing, right?” He rolls his eyes.

 

Goku’s raised hand hesitates and reaches back toward his neck.

 

“But, you know, if that’s a risk you’re willing to take, be my guest. Just be forewarned that if he does kill you, I would definitely help him hide your body so he doesn’t go back to prison.”

 

“I-” he laughs weakly, “What?”

 

“Yeah.”  

 

“Oh. Well that’s-” He pauses unsure what to make of Tarble’s statement,  “nice of you… I think... But... I wasn’t gonna ask him to train ... I made breakfast for- ….For everyone. An’ so I just thought he might… want some too…”

 

“Wait, you did?” Tarble was suddenly wide awake and back in his usual bright mood. “Fuuuck yes! Are you serious? You never- ahh! Really?!” Goku nods, “Then, here-  How about I take the bullet and wake everyone so you can finish whatever your making! You’re awesome!” He shoos a reluctant Goku away so he could bang on Vegeta’s door himself.

 

In the end, it didn’t matter who knocked. Every thud sounded like the thunder of death’s hooves crashing down upon Vegeta’s head and he hated whoever it was torturing him so early in the morning. Vegeta manages to crack one eye open at the sound and immediately regrets it.

 

“What?” Vegeta struggles to croak out.

 

His little brother answers far too excited for someone who threw up as soon as they got in the house the night before, “Food!”

 

A wave of nausea washes through him at the mention. “Go away. Don’t want any.”

 

His door opens and he hears Tarble walk up to his bed. “Nah! Goku’s cooking, so you know it’s dank. He never lets anyone eat his food! Or- honestly, it’s not that he doesn’t let anyone eat it- he just eats everything before you can even ask most of the time so we gotta hurry-”

 

“Dank? What is dank? No. I don’t want-” He almost heaves at the implication, “I think I’ve been poisoned.” He pulls everything he can reach over his head to block the light.

 

Tarble snorts at his brother, “Do you know what the best cure for a hangover is?”

 

“...Is it death?”

  


 

So, after being literally dragged from bed, angrily closing all the blinds in the house and drinking a gallon and a half of water followed by four advils, Vegeta sits at the table where he is subject to Kakarot’s rambling which was considerably less rambling today and more awkward smiles and glances that Vegeta was far too hungover to catch this early in the morning.

 

“Where is Bulma?” Vegeta grumbles “I have a few choice words for her.”

 

There is a thud upstairs and Tarble walks down rubbing his head holding a book with a deep frown. “Yeah… She’s not coming down. … I forgot, Yamcha’s here.” He mutters as he tosses the book into the living room.

 

“Yamcha’s here? Why? When?! Fuck!” He rolls his eyes. “Like I wanted to be any more miserable this morning.”

 

“He was here when we got back last night, you don’t remember?”

 

Vegeta squints for a moment trying to find in his memories whether or not that was true but instead comes terrifying conclusion that, “...No. I don’t remember.” Discomfort laces it’s way up his spine into his thoughts, “Shit, I don’t remember anything after we got back-” A sudden clattering on the stove that pulls Vegeta's attention.

 

Goku stumbles over himself as he tries to re-right the pan and spices he’d knocked over. He meets Vegeta’s curious glare with flushed cheeks for a split second before quickly turning back toward the food prep that needed his full attention.

 

“What?! You don’t- it was great! You went shot for shot with me even though you were already shithoused! You made it to like seven! Or eight, I don’t know, but I’m so glad Bulma convinced you to go out, because that was some real quality time big bro!” Vegeta rolls his eyes at Tarble who turns in his chair toward Goku with a wide smile, “If you’re not careful, he’s gonna unseat you as the legend.”

 

“I mean.... he can _try_ …” Goku says in friendly taunt.

 

“No. No.” Vegeta inhales deeply, “No. ...I’m definitely not.” He frowns deeply, “I’m never drinking again.”

 

“Yeah. Sure. Literally everyone says that the morning after.” Tarble smirks.

 

Vegeta scowls disapprovingly at his little brother and sinks back into his hangover.

 

The silence is comfortable and the eventual conversation more so, as Goku shifts from topic to topic and ends up mid story about how he first met Bulma.

 

“...Yeah I didn’t break anything, which was lucky” He laughs, “but I think I dented her bumper…”

 

Tarble, who is now no longer preoccupied with visions of Blue as he had been the night before, has the opportunity to notice that his brother only looks up from the darkness of his palms in order to silently appreciate their chef’s shirtless top half as he avoids getting hit by the bacon grease popping off the pan. Tarble snorts and mouths to him,

 

‘...Are you serious?’

 

‘What?’ Vegeta responds in the same fashion.

 

‘Of all- Really?’

 

‘...What?’

 

‘What do you mean _what?_ You are so obvious.’

 

‘I am not. Leave me alone.’

 

Tarble nods doubtfully. ‘You really are. And to think, you wouldn’t shut up about how much you hated him last night.’

 

‘I do hate him!’

 

Tarble rolls his eyes, ‘I didn’t believe you then and I believe you even less now.’

 

‘Am I not allowed to appreciate that he’s making food for us in peace?’

 

‘Oh you’re appreciating something.’

 

Vegeta scowls at him.

 

‘...appreciating dat a-’

 

“Shut it, you rude little-! … .. .” He promptly closes his mouth as Goku turns at stares at them.

 

He had been about to get to the punchline of his story where he reveals that he didn't actually know what Capsule Corp. was despite owning one of their phones but the words catch in his chest at Vegeta’s outburst.

 

“...What? I-”

 

“Not you. Sorry. Vegeta’s still drunk. ...Ignore him.” Tarble says quickly trying to play it off. As soon as Goku turns his trusting face back to the food Tarble silently continues.

 

‘...appreciating his-’

 

‘Would you stop? Fuckin’ brat!’

 

‘Yeah. Sorry.’

 

Vegeta shakes his head and tries to ignore him but has no luck.

 

‘Sorry for assuming you wanted to _box_ him’ Tarble exaggerates a wink.

 

Vegeta smacks one of his palms down on the table, ‘I do _not_ want to box him. I do not want to _anything_ him. He’s a shit boxer anyway!’

 

‘You would know that. Even though you haven’t been boxing, right?’ He chides silently

 

Vegeta’s mouth opens but no words form.

 

‘You are the worst.’

 

Vegeta narrows his eyes threateningly, ‘Fuck you. I’m not violating parole. I can be friends with the hot athletic roommate if I want to-’

 

'HA! _F_ _riends."_ Tarble grins mockingly and pretends to wipe away tears of laughter, 'When did you start telling jokes?!'

 

'I've never told a joke in my life!'

 

‘Whatever.' he shakes his head, 'He's out of your league.'

 

'Yeah? Well, Bulma's out of your _league_. Whatever the fuck that means.'

 

Tarble’s smile drops. ‘Wh- ...I don’t- No. Me and her are just friends! ...er, research... partners-’

 

Vegeta nods his head with a sneer, ‘I know you're _just friends._ ’

 

Tarble's mouth drops open and he scowls even meaner than his brother, 'You know what? I hope Goku's the straightest straight guy ever and when you try to ask him out he tells you no _really_ nicely so you think it’s still cool between you but then he starts making up excuses,’ Tarble begins charading to get his point across easier, ‘about why he can’t _workout_ with you and your _friendship_ gradually tapers off until you guys stop talking altogether so you sulk alone for weeks in your room doing nothing but studying until you finally realize it was a good thing because all your hard work paid off and you landed your dream job and met B-' he shakes his head, 'and didn't go to prison trying to impress a six pack with a half decent hook and- and fuck you! You're mean.’

 

‘What?!’ Vegeta’s face is unapologetically confused, ‘That was so oddly specific??!! And he has an eight- Whatever! I still have more of a chance with him than you do with Bulma.' He huffs then smirks, 'I've turned plenty of the _straightest straight guys ever_.’

 

Tarble lets out an audible indignant stammer and before he can quip out a snappy remark Goku begins placing food in front of them. Then he sits down across from Vegeta with two already heaping plates for himself.

 

Vegeta raises his brows in genuine shock, “ ...Don’t you have to weigh in in two weeks?”

 

“Ah… well, I’m gonna compete heavyweight so… weighin’ in is just a formality” He looks down at his plates, “I usually eat a lot more than this right before an event.”

 

Vegeta tries to exchange glaces with Tarble and get some kind of confirmation on whether or not it was actually the case that Goku usually ate _more_ than a pound of bacon in a single sitting but his little brother avoids him and instead glares angrily down at his plate stabbing his fork into his food.

 

“You were a middleweight fighter, right?” Goku asks.

 

“I-  yeah… sometimes. Light… middle… everything in between. Whatever... I had to.” He says still distracted by the entire carton of eggs underneath the heaping piles of bacon on Goku’s plate.

 

“Wh- you went all the way down to lightweight?! but that’s a thirty pound difference! How tall are you?” He shovels the food into his mouth as he assesses Vegeta curiously.

 

“Five…” Vegeta hesitates before trying to proudly assert a lie, “Si-”

 

“Five four” Tarble interrupts. Vegeta kicks his brother under the table.

 

“Wow! Yeah, I didn’t think you were much taller than that- And you could bulk thirty pounds before a fight? How? I wish I could do that! What did you eat? What did you do? What’s your- what are you at now?”

 

Tarble face falls into his palms. _I fucking knew this was going to happen._ “I knew.” He whispers quietly to himself.

 

Vegeta thinks for a moment, “I’m around 160-165. I was a little lighter back then but I still usually had to cut a lot of weight right before a fight. It was... miserable.” _And she made me do it almost every time. Always putting me in lowest bracket she could just to make me suffer._

 

“Ooh. So you fought in lower weight divisions for an advantage?”

 

Vegeta frowns, “...Sure. You could call it that.”

 

“Hm. But I have almost seventy pounds on you! ...And you still beat me! That says a lot about your skill.”

 

Vegeta smirks, “Or your lack thereof. You let your guard down too often. Your fat ass probably would have had me if you’d managed to get in just one solid hit but-”

 

“I know!” Goku smiles broadly, “An’ actually I was thinkin’ next time we-”

 

“Wow. It’s like you _want_ to go back.” Tarble spits out quietly to his brother who was nodding along at Goku’s words.

 

Goku stops and fiddles with his utensils for a few moments while Vegeta and his brother manage to share an tense uncomfortable silent argument without even making eye contact.

 

“...Sorry. Nevermind.” Goku finally says, “ ...Forgot you don’t... fight anymore.”

 

“...Yeah.” Vegeta pushes his plate towards Goku, stands, and leaves. Tarble apologizes softly before he too gets up and exits the room leaving Goku alone with the food he’d cooked for five. Or just two really hungry people.

 

His phone buzzes a few moments later jarring him out of his sulking.

  


:) Vegeta :)

1034

 

Gym today? I want to sweat out this hangover.

 

Goku doesn’t even bother pulling the fork from his mouth before responding in the affirmative. Because what else were friends for?

  


Kakarot

1034

 

its a date! :)))

 

Vegeta

1037

 

Lol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this is taking so long. Life be doing like that sometimes, ya dig?
> 
> 160 at 5'4'' is /huge/ built like a TANK in case you weren't sure what to make of all that and 220-230 at 5'10 (Goku) is more or less Mike Tyson. Ali was roughly the same weight at 6'3'' to give a little perspective on weight in the boxing world.


	13. Total Loss

He swears he’s never had this problem before. The problem of someone actually being able to stand him for more than five minutes. Vegeta wasn’t sure what caused this happy dumb-ass to manage such a feat, but whatever it was... he hated it! because _no one should be capable of such a thing! I’m an asshole! On purpose!_ But no matter what insult or thoughtless remark he decided to throw Goku only glowed brighter. _It’s like he thrives on it!_

 

Vegeta was starting to think maybe there was just something _wrong_ with Kakarot. _One head injury too many?_ Because he could really say anything, no matter how horrible and all it did was make Goku smile the most _adorable_ smile or worse he _laughed._ Not _at_ him either, no, he genuinely _laughed_! As if Vegeta had been joking when he said Kakarot was practically illiterate.

 

It infuriated him because to be perfectly honest he’d never really had… a friend… before.. So he was a bit lost over what he was supposed to _do_ with Kakarot. _...Hit him harder?!_

 

Yes. Because Goku was quite the opponent in the ring, so there was definitely no going easy on him. But as it turned out, off putting levels of kindness proved to be a very effective offensive strategy and Goku was able to catch Vegeta with a solid off balancing left hook.

 

Vegeta reels from the blow- _distract me with your dumb face-_ and goes straight for a bruising kidney shot that’ll have Goku pissing blood in an hour.

“Hey! What gives? That was illega-”

 

Vegeta cuts him off with a second shot to the other side. Goku frowns, backs off, gets down a little lower and waits for Vegeta to come in close again. _Closer, closer, closer-_

 

“What the fu-” Without warning Goku’s leg was behind his, pulling it right out from underneath him. Vegeta reaches out and grabs Goku’s arm taking him down with him yelling, “Ah shi-! No MMA, you fucking animal!”

 

Vegeta struggles to get out from underneath him but for all his fuming never quite makes it as Goku pulls him into a pin and begins to count to ten. “Counter this- five, six...” He knew Vegeta wasn’t going to escape. Vegeta _might,_ _arguably,_ be the _slightly_ better boxer between them, he certainly was quicker, _and that uppercut!_ but unlike Vegeta, Goku wasn’t just a boxer and this wasn’t a fight for survival so Vegeta stops struggling, huffs a sigh of defeat and taps.

 

“That wasn’t fair.”

 

“You cheated first.” Goku says with an oh-too-self-satisfied look of victory on his face.

 

Vegeta shrugs with a smirk, “Well if I hit you in the face like I did last time I might knock all your pretty little teeth out. Where’s your mouth guard, Kakarot?” He teases, pushing his fist into Goku’s cheek.

 

Goku laughs trying to catch his breath for a few seconds while staring down at Vegeta’s handsome if perpetually irritated face wondering if now was a good time to bring up-

 

“Kakarot!” And in just one word, there went the moment. He doesn’t have to turn his head to know that his father has just walked through the door and already halfway to his office shaking his head the whole way.

 

“I… I’ll be right back.” He gets up and follows in his father steps leaving Vegeta alone on the mats suddenly wondering if, after a moment like that, maybe he had been right when mocking his brother, maybe he did have a chance with the hot dumb college boy.

 

\---

 

Bardock barely restrains slamming the door behind him as he shoves his son into his office.

 

“What? What’d I do? I jus’ leg swept him- we weren't-”

 

Bardock collapses back into a chair and palms the stress etched into his forehead, “I told ya not to bring him back here.”

 

“I- … well, I thought that was more... of a suggestion.” He admits honestly.

 

“No! It wasn’t a suggestion!” He snaps with irritation. “Why’d ya bring him here again?”

 

Goku fidgets and his gaze darts toward the window. “I don’t see what the problem is… you weren’t mad ‘bout it last time. He’s actually really good like you said an’ he wanted to spar again so I jus’ thought-”

 

“The problem! Is it’s much harder to say I ain’t seen 'im! When he’s in my goddamn gym! Bein’ harassed by my goddamn son!”

 

Goku tries to stifle a snort. _That_ was not harassment. Harassment was drunk Vegeta being even more painfully stubborn than sober Vegeta.

 

“What about that is funny to you?”

 

“... Sorry. I dunno. I didn’t think you weren’t comin’ in today so-”

 

“Are you-!” Bardock interrupts already reaching the limits of his patience, “He just got outta prison, Ka!”

 

“Why does everyone keep bringin’ that up? It doesn’t mat-”

 

“Yes, Ka! It does matter!” He exasperates and begins rolling a cigarette. He pauses before lighting it, “a lot more'n I thought an' ‘specially for you.”

 

Goku watches his father take a long unsatisfying drag, “... What's that supposed to mean?”

 

“It means” he exhales still thinking about the unpleasant encounter he had earlier that day with a peculiar man who asked too many questions about things a stranger shouldn't know, “stay away from him.” He points the crumpled excuse for a fix between his fingers at his son and eyes him seriously.

 

Goku decides now is probably a bad time to bring up, or rather, remind his father how difficult it would be to stay away from his roommate _._ So he tries to play the favorite card instead.

 

“Why're you always lecturin’ me about my friends when half of Rad’s friends are drug addicts and the other half is-”

 

“Because Rad ain’t tryna ruin his pro boxin’ career before it even starts!”

 

Goku scoffs, “You always let him do whatever he wants just because-”

 

“GAH! Kakarot!” He rubs at his temples. “I do not _let_ him do whatever he wants. I don’t even know where he is half the time so-! ...speakin’ of, have-”

 

“No, I haven’t heard from him.” He lies.

 

Bardock sucks on the remainder of the unfiltered cigarette and threads his fingers through greying hair. “I dunno which of you is gonna kill me first.”

 

“Cancer’s gonna get ya ‘fore either of us has the chance.”

 

“After all you ‘n yer brother are tryna put me through? I won't live long enough to get cancer. ‘Bouta just keel over and die right now from all your shit.”

 

Goku rolls his eyes, “You’re not bein’ fair, dad. Just ‘cause he was in prison doesn’t mean anythin’. Vegeta’s a good person. He just... pretends to be mean… You know?” Bardock looks at his son with wavering confidence in his overly generous character judgements. Goku shifts and tries again, “...He even got a degree while he was in jail. An’ he has a regular.... -ish job now, an’ he’s really good at ...” Goku looks away guiltily. “Boxin’.”

 

His father nods along doubtfully at his son’s words, _yeah yeah good at ‘boxin’’ my ass-_ “Kakarot.” He kicks himself away from his desk, “Your match is in two weeks. You don’t need that kinda trouble tailin’ ya there. ...You know you’re gonna start gettin’ a lota press as a pro.”

 

“I know.”

 

“People are gonna wanna know ya.”

 

“I know.”

 

“‘Cause you’re my son. Legacy’s a big deal-”

 

He sighs, “I know...”

 

“‘Specially if ya win an’ yer gonna win.”

 

“I know!”

 

“Do ya? ‘Cause I don’t think ya do.” Goku rolls his eyes, “Ka, they’re gonna be all over you an’ anyone you’re seen with ‘cause-”

 

“...I knowwwww.”

 

“Well… do ya think he wants any of that press in his face right now?”

 

He crosses his arms and mumbles, “It’s not like we’re-”

 

“Do ya really think that matters?"

 

Goku sulks in defeat.

 

“Then why’re ya tryna drag him into it?” Bardock sighs heavily. “Under any other circumstances, I wouldn’t give a damn ’cause you’re right. He ain't all bad. ... a little arrogant, but-” He gestures with his hand, “But maybe now really ain’t the time to be show casin’ your thing for bad boy’s, eh?”

 

“Dad!”

 

“Well, when the last three had records too Ka, it’s- Look! This ain’t just about you! The press is gonna know who he is and they’re gonna know he did nine years for murder, a’ight? An’ I’m sure he doesn’t wanna broadcast that to whoever just hired him without a background check.” _And I’m even more sure neither of ya need Freiza’s attention for findin’ her favorite fight-dog before she could!! And I swear, sometimes it's like you WANT trouble!_

 

Goku crosses his arms and pouts for a moment before letting his father’s tirade sink in, “Wait, nine years… for what?”

 

Bardock shakes his head and waves him off, “Just stay away from him.”

 

Goku dismisses his father’s remark as he opens the door and walks out muttering a rude quip about how, “That’s gonna be really hard since he lives ten feet above me.”

 

“Fuck!” he throws his arms up, “Then move out!”

 

A ‘No’ echos back from around the corner and Bardock groans as he turns toward the little office window with half a mind to keep arguing until he sees his son light up as Vegeta looks up at him with that trademark smirk.

 

“Of all the pretty-boy ex-cons he coulda picked…” He rolls another cigarette as his phone pings with a message from his other son.

 

Raditz 1309

 

Green? Lol fuckin Zarbon. no doubt. What did he want?

 

 

\---

 

 

“Is everything o-” Goku doesn’t let him finish and begins not so subtly shoving Vegeta towards the door. “What did Bardock s-”

 

“Nothing!”

 

It takes an unreasonable amount of effort just to slow down enough for Vegeta to grab his bag and he is protesting the whole way. “Wait- but we were only here for like 30 minut-”

 

“I’m hungry.” Goku states, his glare still focused on the door and his singular goal of leaving.

 

“Wha-? But we just ate!”

 

Goku frowns as they step into the car. Vegeta resigns the fight with a shake of his head. There was no arguing with that face.

 

They're hardly ten minutes on the road when Vegeta begins to recognize the neighborhood. “...Where are we going?”

 

“...pizza.” He grumbles.

 

The car slows down and they pull up in front of a familiar storefront.

 

“Somewhere else.”

 

“What?”

 

It takes Vegeta a moment to clarify and it is the first time Goku has ever seen something vaguely resembling concern cross his face. “I do not want to eat here. Somewhere else.”

 

“No no, it just looks gross. I promise it’s super good-”

 

“I hate pizza. We eat somewhere else.”

 

“What? Who hates pi-”

 

“I DO!” He glares at Goku who is startled by the sudden outburst and hesitates but eventually shifts back into gear and acquiesces,

 

“Ok… somewhere… else...”

 

They end up at a noodle shop across town that didn’t quite hit the spot like neighborhood comfort food but it was alright. Although bout thirty minutes in Vegeta stops eating and watches out of both disgust and awe as Goku goes through four bowls in the time it takes him to go through one. And while he had started to become marginally accustomed to his roommate’s heinous eating habits this was something else and it occurs to Vegeta that something might actually be wrong because, “Are you... stress eating?”

 

Goku stops and looks up at him. “What?” he struggles through a mouthful. “....no.”

 

“...You are.” He scoffs but not with any malice behind it. “Kakarot, if this is over me yelling at you then-”

 

“No. no.” He swallows, “It’s not you. Just… nervous… for the match. Y’know? Never done anythin’ that big before an’…”

 

“You might be the worst liar I know and that’s saying something because prison only has terrible liars.”

 

“...Why’s that?” Goku says stirring the spoon around in the broth.

 

“Because if they were good, they wouldn’t be in prison.”

 

“...So... you’re a bad liar too?”

 

Vegeta almost cracks a genuine smile as he chuffs at Goku’s remark. “Who knows, Kakarot. I didn’t even have the chance to try.”

 

“Why not?”

 

Vegeta’s mouth opens but stops just short of biting Goku’s head off for always asking annoying questions with obvious answers because he realizes, Goku’s question meant… it wasn’t obvious. It meant... he hasn’t bothered to look up what was public record. ... _Is he waiting to hear about it from me or something?_ Vegeta discards the notion immediately and chalks this one up to Goku’s general ignorance and momentarily considers telling him.

 

“Er- yeah, nevermind. Forget I asked...”

 

Vegeta hesitates but ultimately take him up on that. Silence settles between them long enough to let discontent seep back into Goku’s normally smiley expressions and Vegeta decides Goku’s pathetic mopping is even more annoying than his usual self. _God forbid I start feeling bad for him-_

 

“What’s wrong with you?” Vegeta waves his chopsticks in Goku’s distracted face.

 

He lets out a quiet laugh, “Nothin’… I was just thinkin’ ‘bout… last night...”

 

Vegeta snorts, “It couldn’t have been that bad.”

 

Goku brows fold. “...You really don’t remember? I thought… maybe you just said that...  in front of your brother... ‘cause...”

 

Vegeta thinks for a moment as Goku’s concerned expression gives him pause, “Yeah, no, I- ...” _Shit, wait, why what did I-_

 

Goku rubs the back of his neck in the cutest nervous fashion Vegeta has ever seen and he is suddenly kind of angry about it because nothing so insignificant should be so _fucking cute_ and _why is he always so fucking anxious?! It makes ME fucking anxious- what did I fucking do?!_ _I knew he was lying; It was something I said! I knew it! ... Fuck! What did I say-?!_

 

Vegeta is finally starting to regret being such an asshole and he tries to backtrack over whatever horrible thing he surely said the night before to get a rise out of his overgrown puppy of a roommate, “Stop worrying about it, Kakarot. It’s not like I meant it.” He laughs weakly with a half assed apologetic half smile.

 

Goku blinks as he tries to process the meaning of Vegeta’s statement, “...What?”

 

“Yeah, I didn’t- … Forget it. I was just… It was just the alcohol- ...I don’t actually- ...” _hate... you..._

 

“Oh.”

 

Vegeta watches Goku’s smile slowly disappear. _Wait. No. Nononononono- what kinda face is THAT?_ Vegeta could almost physically see a literal anvil of unhappiness crush down on him. _...Does he_ _like_ _that I’m mean to him? What the fuck?!_

 

Goku lets out a fake joyless laugh trying to reassure that everything was still ok when it obviously was not, “We should head back, shouldn’t we? Before Tarble figures out you were boxin’. Except he’s real smart so, he probably already knows. So we… we should really go.”

 

“I- ...wait what? Kakarot what did I-” but the younger has already gotten up and begun rushing through paying at the front counter.

 

Hardly another word was exchanged between them as they headed back and Goku quickly disappeared to the basement saying something about ‘needing to study for finals’ leaving Vegeta standing in the living not quite sure what to do with the rest of his day because to be honest, he had been anticipating several more hours of dealing with Kakarot’s irritating presence and so… _now what?_

 

He looks around with a deeper scowl than usual and slumps on to the couch as he tries his hardest to root through blacked out memories. He gives up and swipes through the missed call, text and voicemail notifications from Raditz so he can snap out a text to Bulma who he would learn was hardly ever helpful in these matters. Though that was probably because she was receiving far more frantic messages from Goku and it was much easier to respond to,

 

“:((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((“

 

Than,

 

“Why is Kakarot being stupid?”

 

Because whatever it was, Goku wouldn’t tell her either. He only started going on and on about how this was the worst day ever using the most frustratingly vague details.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens while trying to keep 'Doc likable :<
> 
> Also, you ever notice how people with an accent can be understood when talked to by someone without that accent but if they talk to someone with the same accent suddenly the accents start compounding each other or something and it's gibberish? Wack how vernacular be shiftin' like that. Anyway, I sorta tried to exaggerate both Bardock and Goku's lax speech when they're around each other to mimic that ha ha. Not sure if it's all that noticeable though. :p


	14. Unwind

All he wanted to do was work out the stress of another day. Another day that might have gone well if he hadn’t been fired for ‘lack of personable attitude.’

 

“I didn’t even work with people!” He slams his fist into the tree again.

 

Not that he wanted to work ‘security’ at… well, he wasn’t exactly sure what they did there, but they did conveniently neglect to do background checks on their employees. His options had been limited even with Bulma’s connections because  _ surprise surprise _ no one wanted a violent ex-con near their money. Or their clients. Or their coffee machines.  _ Or apparently within 500 feet of the damn door.   _

 

It was supposed to be so easy. Get a job that wouldn’t put him in prison. Get a job that wouldn’t put him back in the ring, like he promised his brother. He didn’t have to love it. He didn’t even have to like it. It didn't have to make him rich or famous. In fact it was better if it didn’t. It just had to be good enough so he wouldn’t need to rely on his little brother who still had his whole life ahead of him. It just had to pay him enough so he could eventually have his own place.  _ With a view. _ Maybe even his own car.  _ That doesn’t have speakers imported from hell. _ It just had to be… safe.

 

So he picked the safest, most boring possible application for his familiarity with sophisticated bookkeeping systems like he learned Freiza had after she had  _ forced  _ him to  _ care  _ about the money. Where it comes from and where it goes.

 

Still, he didn’t know how he was going to ever make it on the outside. He understood now why some people voluntarily went back. Prison wasn’t nice. But it was easy. You just breathed and kept your head low and you got a roof, a gym and three hot(ish) meals. There was no city you thought you knew until you got lost in it.  _ Again _ . There were no bills, or interviews, no crowded unpleasant commutes in train cars full of strangers who stood too close  _ for no fucking reason _ , no expectations for small talk when you were just trying to get a damn coffee,  _ no expectations at all! _ No “instagrams” or unintelligible midnight “snapchats” people got mad at you for not responding to,  _ Bulma. _

 

No, prison was regimented, controlled, you were told how to do everything, when to do everything, where to do everything and everyone at the very least understood the language of a half decent punch. Everyone knew better than to mess with a fight dog unless they wanted to lose. Or bet in his favor. Or you know, just ask  _ really  _ nicely… Not everyone in prison is a bad guy after all  _ and hey, a guy’s got needs. _

 

His problems now seemed so much more complicated. He could no longer rely on the only two skills he had ever bothered perfecting. He silently vents over why was hitting people so much easier than talking to them. _ Hell, even murder was easier than this!  Where is the logic in that?  _ He sighs heavily and rubs at the tape wrapped around his palms and knuckles.

 

Prison nor the life he had before had done anything to equip him for this. Uppercuts turned out to be a pretty useless talent to have when you couldn’t use it to bring home a steady paycheck. Or try to figure out why your roommate stopped talking to you and disappeared again.  _ Maybe Tarble was right _ ? He wasn’t sure. Didn’t really care at this point. But for now he figured throwing his fists into a nearly bark-less patch of tree in the backyard littered with red cups and Pabst cans was as good a solution to his problems as any at the moment.

 

“Fuckin’ call me  _ unpersonable _ \- punch their faces to another damn planet if I wanted-” He grumbles before the unmistakably jovial voice of his favorite nuisance of a roommate exits from an open window.

 

He stops and leans his forehead against the tree and wonders why today of all days Goku had to pick to show back up and pester him with happiness because while he was somewhat put off by his awkward silence after  _ whatever the fuck that was _ happened, today had not been a good day and he did not have the patience to deal with-   __

 

_ Oh! EVEN better! _ Yamcha was here too. The two of them walk outside and rally around the grill with a six pack, two baseball gloves and several pounds of meat and start trying to figure out how to cook it without setting fire to the entire backyard and honestly, watching their struggle was so irritating it made him want to keep slamming slow deliberate fists back into the tree but he doesn’t.

Vegeta looks down at the knuckles of his left hand and notices red beginning to seep through the half inch of shredded white tape, then at the fence behind him. He presses one hand experimentally against it but isn’t convinced the decaying posts will hold his weight if he tries to climb over.  _ Who the fuck fences in their backyard anyway- _

 

“Hey Vegeta!”

 

_ Fuck.  _ He smashes his fist weakly into an already cracking fence post. 

 

Vegeta doesn’t acknowledge him, which on whatever planet Goku is from was apparently an invitation for social interaction because he walks right up to Vegeta and starts going on and on about whatever it was that had him so excited this time.

 

“We were gonna throw the baseball around.” He holds a worn mitt a little too closely to Vegeta’s face, “You wanna join?"  He smiles and thumbs behind him to the grill. "We got beer and lotta food and Bulma 'n 18 'n Krillin are gonna-”

 

Vegeta listens and exhales slowly. He opens his mouth, he is about to yell at him in his usual fashion but Yamcha beats him to the punch.

 

“Oh my god. Goku!” He interrupts, “Stop.”

 

Vegeta looks up wondering exactly when they invited Yamcha into this conversation,  _ excuse me asshole, but yelling at this pretty idiot for literally everything he does is my job and the only thing that gives me any joy these days, so step the fuck off-  _ while Goku stares blankly at Yamcha and dumbly utters, “...What?”

 

“He tells you to fuck off on like, a daily basis bro! Damn. Take a hint. Just because he was in prison doesn’t mean he wants to suck your dick.” 

It takes several long painfully quiet seconds for what Yamcha has said to process in Vegeta’s head and he’s not sure at first if he should be insulted too. Yamcha said it, so he assumes yes, but then again he said it Goku so who care- _ Wait. What? _

 

Vegeta turns and looks at Goku whose face is now plastered in a thick coat of deep red mortification. And Vegeta thinks, his boss was right; he  _ really  _ wasn’t a people person because  _ how could I have missed- Oh it's so fucking obvious now too! We’re both goddamn idiots-  _

 

“Sorry, but dude. It's painful watching this week after week. He’s not interested.”

 

“I didn’t- That’s not- who told y-” Goku's already broken smile finally collapses, “…I was just... tryna be nice. I wasn’t- why would you say somethin’ like that?” his face burns as he tries to defend his naturally extroverted actions. 

 

“Because he was about to rip your damn head off!" The insult in Goku's expression is obvious and Yamcha raises his mitt with a half assed apologetic smile. "...C'mon, I didn't mean anything by it- just lookin' out for you.”   


 

Goku furrows his brows, avoids whatever painful look of confirmation he imagined to be on Vegeta’s face, then cocks his arm back and throws the ball as far as he can. Yamcha watches it fly in a high arch and disappear. The glass shattering in the distance followed by a car alarm several blocks away jars Vegeta back to reality just in time to catch a quiet apology from Goku before he quickly disappears inside.

 

“Sorry, man.  He doesn’t always know how to read a room, you know?” He offers a beer to Vegeta.

 

_ Me neither apparently.  _ And while he considers that prison really hadn’t been  _ that bad  _ and another six months for assault really isn’t  _ that long  _ Vegeta accepts the drink and resists slamming it against the side of Yamcha’s head.

 

Instead he cracks the can open right next to Yamcha’s ear which makes him flinch and says with a sharp edge in his voice, “...If you had said that to me, I would have thrown that baseball at your face.” Vegeta then turns the can upside down and lets it pour out on to Yamcha’s head.

 

Yamcha bolts away and starts yelling, “What the f- what the fuck! Ah! Dude! Why?!” He stands a few feet away now soaking wet shaking the beer off his arms and face. “What’s wrong with you?!”

  
“As annoying as it may be, he was just trying to be  _ nice _ , you jackass. ...And just so you know, I happen to  _ love  _ sucking dick.” He says before going into to look for a hopelessly embarrassed fool.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #yamchabash just for fun. tbh y/v is a guilty pleasure of mine. obviously not going to happen here, but you know. I do ship that sometimes. 
> 
>  
> 
> I'm gonna be honest, I've been sitting on this ch for a while. I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. eh. We'll see where it takes us. I realized I can't sit on chapters. I just have to post 'em or I'll never write what's next ha ha. Plot wise anyway. I've got like four complete chapters of fluff that are irrelevant to the plot. smh. the shame.


	15. Double Take

He is nowhere to be seen and Vegeta halts in front of the door covered in stickers and posters and all sorts of pop culture references he didn’t know or understand. He knocks but there is no answer. He turns the knob and walks noiselessly down the stairs. He sees Goku pacing anxiously back and forth.

 

“I would have invited anyone!” He blurts out as soon as he realizes he isn't alone, “It’s not just because you're hot or- or whatever- er- not- wait, I didn’t mean- uh- that's not-” he backtracks with embarrassment, “I wasn’t tryna- I’m not- I mean-”

 

It was a little cruel, he knew it, but Vegeta was amused by Goku’s flustered stumbling and let’s him continue until stumbling turned to stuttering turned to no more sound leaving his face. Goku shuts his mouth looking damn close to finally revealing just how he managed to come and go without ever being seen. 

 

Vegeta crosses his arms and snorts. “You’re an idiot.”

 

Goku frowns, “I- what? You and Yamcha are just- the worst! And- no, you're the worst! ...Why are you even here? Just to- to call me names?”

 

“What? No. Well- yes but I always do that. I’m here because-”  _ uhg am I really going to say this?  _ He grimaces before quietly admitting, “because believe or not”  _ I sure can’t,  _ “I actually do like you Kakarot, and I wanted to make sure you were alr-”

 

“...What kind of like?”

 

Vegeta’s brows knit together even further, “What?”

 

Goku makes a noise of frustrated defeat before he starts pacing again, “I don't get you! First you're super mean, then you say were friends ‘n then you-” he mumbles something Vegeta doesn't quite catch, “then you’re super mean to me again and tell me to forget it. Then you come here an’ an’- … What’s your stupid _ deal  _ Vegeta?”

 

Vegeta face scrunches with confusion, “The fuck are you talking about?”

 

“Last week, when you were drunk, you-”

 

“Kakarot.” He sighs, “The last thing I remember is tripping over you on our way back to the house. I have no idea what happened or what I said.”

 

“I- I-... Really? At all?” 

 

Vegeta chuffs, “When I said forget about it, it's because I assumed I was a dick to you.”

 

“Oh. Well you kinda were. But-” He smiles shyly, “It was cute.”

 

“Cu- no, I am  _ not _ cute! ...What’s that supposed to mean anyway?”

 

“It means you’re the worst drunk in the house. Worse than Bulma. But you’re also kinda sloppy. And sleepy.”

 

“How am  _ I _ the worst? She throws tantrums and- and very heavy textbooks! What could I possibly have done to outdo her?”

 

“Uhhh-” Goku blushes, “Well…”

 

“Kakarot, what did I do?”

 

“Nothin’- nothin’ bad.” He laughs, “But you were so drunk after you did all those shots with yer brother, that later when you- … I just didn’t think it was right to let you, uh- You needed to go to bed. So that's what I made you do.”

 

“Needed to go to bed?” He snorts, “I’m sure I was fine. I’m-”

 

“Mm… no.”

 

“What was I trying to do? Fight you?”

 

“Oh yeah, you definitely tried to do that too… But don’t worry, we got up those stairs. Almost died. Like four times. But” He inhales seriously, “We made it. No thanks to you.” He grins down at Vegeta who scoffs. 

 

“But um, Vegeta-”

 

“What?!”

 

“Even though you are the worst, I, uh, I like you too. But. ...like more than friends. A lot more.” He forces the words out and holds his breath.

 

“Yeah. No shit. Fuckwad up there made it pretty obvious in the rudest possible-” he shakes his head, “If it’s any consolation he’s now  _ soaking _ in the consequences of humiliating you.” He smirks then frowns, “You know  _ you _ could've said something. Instead of just…” he gestures, “whatever this bullshit is.”

 

“I did!”

 

“Yeah! When I was shitfaced! Thanks Kakarot. I remember so clearly.”

 

His face heats up with warm fuzzy coals of the truth, “I was nervous… I didn’t know if you even liked guys an’ …. so I just-”

 

Vegeta raises a brow in disbelief, “Really?” 

 

“How am I supposed to know when all you do is pick fights with me?”

 

He looks down at the tank top that was arguably a size too small, and pants that were  _ definitely  _ a size too small. “I… thought it was obvious.”

 

Goku looks away and rubs the back of his neck. “Well it's not like you said anything either! Until you were so drunk you couldn’t even stand.”

 

“Because I’ve had over nine thousand fucking things to worry about other than getting laid! Idiot!” He huffs. “Sorry the one time I relaxed I slipped up and let you know how distracting you are from the other things I need to do. What a horrible person I am. You’re right.” He scoffs. “They should just hang me for my crimes this time.” He rolls his eyes.

 

Goku bites back a smile. 

 

Vegeta clicks his tongue in irritation, “At least I have an excuse for being a little slow on the uptake! You’re just inept.”

 

_ I bet inept is a good thing!  _ “So… do you wanna… maybe date or somethin’-?”

 

Goku makes a small noise in shock before sighing and leaning into that kiss until he was out of breath. _ Ooh I’m so inept! _ He pulls back, “Does that mean yes?”

 

Vegeta stutters suddenly not sure if that was what he wanted, because it sounded nice  _ but what does it really mean?  _ He wasn't all that sure. He’d hadn’t done it in a long time and even when he had never very seriously. Suddenly he was left wondering,  _ do I take him out? Does he take me out? Do we just fuck here and then go out or-? Going out is the key part isn’t it? Where do we go? The movies? I hate the movies. I’d rather just stay here and f-  _ “Tch! I don’t know. Maybe.” Goku’s face lights up, “How about you stop thinking so hard about what it means before you have a stroke.” 

 

He pulls Vegeta into a much more heated kiss than their first one and within moments they are on the soft excuse he had for a bed breathing heavy, touching heavier. Vegeta’s legs wrap around Goku’s and his hands run up under his shirt. Goku humms happily as he feels one of Vegeta’s hands fumble from his back to beneath the back pockets of his pants. 

 

“I hope you fuck harder than you hit-”

 

“I don’t know, Vegeta” Goku pants softly by his ear. “I hit pretty hard.” The shorter grunts and grinds his hips up against Goku’s.

 

“Hardly- unh- fuck. You’re right hook needs work-” Goku pulls back with a pout and opens his mouth to counter. “Shut up. Stop making that face. Keep kissing me.”

 

Goku sticks his tongue out, “No.” He then receives a hard pillow smack to the face before being tackled off the bed to the ground and before he could take a breath Vegeta was on top of him and they were kissing again. And it was good. So good.  _ Too good! Especially after a day like today. I want this- I need this- I- …. _

 

Vegeta stops and rests his forehead against Goku’s.

 

“What?” Vegeta sits up. “Aw, come back-” Goku pulls the other back into his arms but he resists.

 

“No.”

 

Goku lays back with a huff, “What? What did I do this time?” 

 

“You didn’t do anything. I just thought about something. Don't tell Tarble... but I lost my job today.”

 

“Mmm…” he runs his fingers down Vegeta’s sides and along his now bare chest. “I’m sure you’ll get another one.”

 

Vegeta pushes him away, with a dry laugh, “It’s not that easy.”

 

“You’re smart, an’ you have a degree ‘n everything. You just gotta-”

 

“I only got this one because of Bulma. I couldn’t ask her again.” He sulks in shame.

 

“Well” he lets his hands settle on Vegeta’s waist and fidgets with the elastic band of his briefs. “You could box. You can even make really good money. If you win.” He teases. His voice perks up with excitement, “Maybe we’d even get to fight each oth-!”

 

“No. No.” Vegeta gets up and looks for his shirt. “I can’t do that. I can’t-”

 

“Why? You’re really good. You could definitely compete as a pro-”

 

“Because she’d-” He rubs his face with his palm. “Because you're- I just can’t. Fuck. I shouldn’t have done this. I have to go. This is-” He refastens the buttons of his pants and heads toward the stairs. “As bad for you as it is for me.”

 

“I- wait, Vegeta-” Vegeta stops at the bottom the stairs and waits, “Are we still- …  Why are you going? It's not a big deal-”

 

“You should focus on your finals.”

 

“My last one was today. I'm done.” he smiles, “that's what we were celebratin’ earlier an'-”

 

“Then maybe you should focus on your match, Kakarot.”

 

“...Are you gonna be there? I really… want you to be there.”

 

Vegeta doesn't say anything as he heads up the stairs.

 

“Vegeta? Wait, don't-” He hears the door close, “-go…”

  
  


 ---

  
  


The house is dark and quiet. He didn’t realize he’d spent so long on that bed. He walks by the living room and sees his little brother zoned out on the couch absorbed into some kind of video game. Tarble waves without looking and continues his unenthusiastic zombied interest in the screen. Vegeta plops down next to him with crossed arms and puts his feet up on the coffee table.

 

“...Wow. That looks… real.” He says after a few minutes of watching Tarble play.

 

He laughs quietly, “Yeah, this game is a couple years old too. You should see what they’re coming out with now- it’s crazy.”

 

He ruffles Tarble’s hair. “I like when there’s no glass between us.”

 

Tarble nods in agreement then reaches up and pulls Vegeta’s hand in front of his face. The blue glow of the screen is barely enough to see but he can feel the wads of tape between his fingers wrapping all the way down his brother’s wrist.

 

“You bled through.”

 

“Got into a fight with that old oak out back. He was talkin’ shit again. Had it coming.”

 

“Does that tree sound like Yamcha or something?”

 

“Hm?”

 

“I don’t know. I overheard Bulma yelling at him over something he said to you and Goku. We were supposed to be celebrating the end of finals- I mean I’m still taking summer classes but- he wasn’t there and you weren’t either so- I thought maybe Yamcha really said something fucked up. He does that a lot.”

 

Vegeta chuckles, “He does, doesn’t he. But no, you’d be proud. I haven’t even hit him once since I moved in. Truly a miracle.” 

 

“You could though and I wouldn’t even be mad.”

 

Vegeta snorts, “Oh really?”

 

“He deserves it.”

 

Vegeta looks at his non existent watch, “It’s not too late maybe I could fit one good one in-”

 

Tarble sighs. “He already left. What did he say?”

 

“...I don’t know. Whatever it was, he said it to Kakarot.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“I just didn’t feel like being around you fools today.”

 

“Long day at work?” Tarble smiles.

 

Vegeta hesitates, “I-... yeah.”

 

“I know it’s not the best… but at least you’ll at least be able to use them as references for something better down the line, you know?”

 

“...Yeah.”

 

“I… gotta get up early tomorrow.”

 

“Ok.” Tarble watches his brother head up the stairs and shut the door.

 

Just before falling asleep Vegeta scrolls through his messages,

  
  
  


Vegeta

What’s this job you keep talking about? Is it solid?

 

Raditz

Ahhhh you finally responded! 

Hellll fuckin yea its solid!

  
  


He sighs and falls asleep despite the buzzing with tape still wrapped around his hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did ya'll so dirty with this ch. sorry T_T Oh and if you think you're never going to find out what Vegeta did when Vegeta was drunk, you're wrong. but it is NOT TIME YET FOR THAT NONSENSE. Before I post any of the fun fluff I have some large plot points that must be resolved, because I'm terrible.


	16. Pride

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> T//W Homophobic language. Like, a pretty fair amount.

He is waiting in a bar for Raditz while playing with the empty glass in front of him to kill time. He rolls it in circles on its bottom edge trying not to notice how much the bartender looks like Kakarot. He can’t quite place what it is, if it’s the hair, or the jaw, _maybe the eyes?_ He’s too drunk now to figure it out but there is a resemblance for sure.

 

“What the fuck is your problem?” The bartender’s voice pulls Vegeta out of his thoughts.

“What?”

“You keep fuckin’ starin’ at me!”

Vegeta was almost startled by the bartender’s hostility. He hadn’t even been looking in the bartender’s direction when the asshole decided to ruin the silence Vegeta was pleasantly sulking in. In fact Vegeta was pretty sure he had been actively avoiding staring.  _  
_

“Are you a fag or somethin’?”

Vegeta raises his brow and turns away. He wasn’t going to merit that with a response. It doesn’t do him any good though because the bartender walks over, places both hands on the bar in front of him and gets in his face. “I’m not your little faggot boyfriend. So how ‘bout, you-”

“Clearly." Vegeta narrows his eyes at him. "You’re not even half as attractive as him.”

The bartender leans in a little closer and sneers, “Is that right?”

Vegeta puts the glass up to his mouth and tries not to smile as he mumbles, “I’d sooner let a cactus fuck me.”

The bartender chuffs and continues to posture aggressively, _like he wants a fight_. “This isn't a fucking gay bar." Then he snatches the glass away. "Fuckin’ Raditz. Always bringin’ faggots into my bar.”

Vegeta stops him from turning away by gripping his collar and pulling him down eye level, "Call me that. One more time.”

The bartender smirks thinking he’s got almost a foot on this guy, he could easily take him, “Fa-”

 

***

 

Raditz is over two hours late when he walks in. He sits next to Vegeta who is the only one in the smoky dive bar and has a bottle in front of him.

“Damn, it’s early as shit for that, ain’t it? Ha ha.” Vegeta doesn’t say anything as he takes another swig. “So uh, where…” Raditz swivels on his bar-stool, “where’s Turles?”

“Who?”

“The bartender.”

“No idea. Service here is terrible.” He mutters.

“He’s always fuckin’ late.” Raditz turns back around and reaches over and across the bar to grab a bottle for himself and looks down  “Oh, goddamn it. Why is he on the floor?”

“Is he?" Vegeta looks over and down at Turles who is unconscious with a bloody nose. "Looks like he's sleeping on the job. Maybe you should fire him.”

Raditz rolls his eyes, “Yeah, I’m sure. And he broke his nose in his sleep. Is that it?”

“Who knows. The bastard’s probably drunk. … You should definitely fire him.”

“Ok, can you just- do you have to start fights everywhere you go?”

“Yes.”

“Well, he’s helping me run the place. So, if you didn’t kill each other, I’d appreciate it.”

Vegeta grins sarcastically offering Raditz zero reassurance he’d avoid doing so. Raditz sighs, takes the bottle and begins pouring it onto Turles’ face. “Hey. Hey! Wake up! We have work to do.”

Turles chokes as he opens his eyes which are now stinging from the alcohol and looks up at Raditz and Vegeta.“What the- hey!” He puts his hand out, “Stop pouring that! That’s sixty dollars a bottle!” Turles sits up wipes the blood from his nose before cringing in pain, ”The fuck happened?”

“You slipped and smashed your face on the counter.” Radtiz says, “That sound right?” He looks at Vegeta who shrugs as innocently as a guilty man can.

“What the…” Turles looks around at the dry floor, “hell did I slip on? …”

“Your shitty personality probably.” Vegeta says under his breath and into the remainder of the whiskey.

Raditz deadpans at Vegeta then extends his hand to Turles and helps him up. “Alright c’mon. Let’s go look at those books.”

Turles gives Vegeta a wary look before nodding and following behind Raditz.They walk down the basement and someone shoves Vegeta through a door before he can see what else is down there.

Raditz immediately lays claim to the only rolly chair in the room. Then he pulls two large ledgers that were falling apart at the seams out of an unlocked lock drawer. He thumps them on a creaky metal desk held together by duct tape.

Vegeta opens one of them but not without first telling Raditz who was practically breathing down his neck to "back off will you? Or you'll end up like your idiot bartender."

Turles shoots a nasty look in Vegeta’s direction while Raditz rolls back, hands raised in defense.

 

The room is quiet for a while as he flips through the first book. Then the other. Then back to the first one again. Then back to the second. Then back to the first one. Again. Then back to the… second one… Then… back to…  

 

Vegeta closes his eyes and inhales deeply as he rubs at his face with his palm and pinches the bride of his nose. "Raditz.” He exhales, “You told me you needed help with an audit. … Not!” he slams the ledger shut and turns around to face him, “That you’re cooking your fucking books! Not that you’re in debt! Not that you’re a complete fucking dumb ass who-! Is this place a fucking front?" 

Raditz looks at Turles then back to Vegeta, "Uh- well” he forces a laugh.

“I told you we shouldn’t have brought in an outsider.” Turles snips.

“Of course it is. I shouldn’t have even stepped foot in here-” Vegeta grumbles to himself.

“No, no. Wait. But Vegeta, we’re not actually in debt. We have the money… that's... actually the problem." Vegeta scowls doubtfully at him, "That's why I called you... 'cause you've always been good with numbers... and..." Raditz' attempt at persuasion through flattery slips into desperation as Vegeta crosses his arms and makes it clear he is losing patience, “C'mon dude you gotta help us. There’s like five hundred K right now just sitting in our basement that we need your help to make… legal...”

"That is- No." Vegeta laughs, "Not a chance! I'm not touching that. And PLEASE do not tell me where that money came from because I do NOT want to know!"

"But Vegeta-"

Vegeta has already walked out of the room. “Not a fucking chance Rad. I just got out! Fuck you-”

"But you’ll get fifteen percent-"

"Ten percent." Turles corrects.

They both follow Vegeta who has stopped in his tracks, eyes locked on the main area he hadn’t gotten a good look at before.

“Raditz… I swear to god, if this what I think it is-” He mutters angrily before hitting a switch and turning on the cheap fluorescent lighting illuminating an enormous low ceiling basement below their shitty bar, “… What... the fuck… is this?” He motions to the rusty chain link fencing connecting the concrete pillars surrounding a few layers of mats trying to pass for a platform. It was a poor excuse for an Octagon and an even poorer excuse for a ring.

“Yeah… so, that money… may or may not come from-“

“When I asked you. What you needed _help_ with. You said. It wasn’t! BOXING!” Vegeta explodes, “YOUSAIDITWASN’TFUCKINGBOXING!” He suddenly has Raditz backed against the thin drywall.

“It’s not.” Turles interjects, uninterested in Raditz’ well being. Vegeta's anger shifts as he looks at the cage and his forearm drops from Raditz’ neck. “That's not a fucking boxing ring. It’s a goddamn arena.” Turles boasts. “For gladiators. Men. Real fighters. Get it right.”

“You call that an _arena?_ You think gladiators would fight in this shit? Barbarians wouldn't even step foot in there. That is a fucking  _c_ _age_ for a bunch of fucking amateurs. ” Vegeta grits out between bared teeth. "And it looks like a-"

“I don’t believe I asked what _you_ what it fucking _looks_ like.”

“Yeah? Well, it _looks_ like a fucking prison.”

“Oh? Does it? Then why don't you jump in. I bet you liked prison, fa-”

“I will fucking end y-!” Vegeta and Turles suddenly find Raditz between them who had the good sense to interrupt before he ended up having to deal with a homicide too.

“Wow! You know, I’m so glad this is going as well as I thought it would.” He side glances at Vegeta then at Turles in irritation.

“Fuck you! You could never convince me to deal with-” He gestures to the entire room, “this! Again! And! AND! I promise NO amount of money would EVER be enough to make me work with that asshole.” Vegeta points to Turles. “Tch.” He backs off, “I knew it was going to be bad, but Raditz, if you’re caught-”

“We’re not gonna get caught.” Turles snorts.

Vegeta chuffs, “Yeah? Are you paying off the police? Do you even know which cops you can pay off? And how about the local gang? How about the neighboring business so they don’t rat you out? Is this your turf? Do you have this whole neighborhood on lock?” Vegeta shakes his head, “You have no idea how this works.”

Raditz threads his fingers through his hair, “Ok, so, no we haven’t done any of that. But we’ve been running this place for six months and haven’t had a single run in with-”

Vegeta scoffs, “You know, I just remembered something. Wasn’t there someone _else_ who liked to run underground matches?” Raditz slumps against the wall and groans because he knows where this is going. “You think _she’ll_ tell you when she finds out about new competition in _her_ city? You think you’ll _know_ when you’re a threat to her? No!” He snaps, “She’ll just fucking show up and end your life like she did mine-”

“Oh my god. Shut up.” Turles rolls his eyes, “What were you in prison for? Being a little bitch? Or wait no, prison just made you a little bitch, didn’t it-”

Vegeta cocks his fist back but Raditz holds him back.

Turles tilts his head to side, “Oh you wanna fight? I'll fuckin' fight. Don’t hold him back, Rad. Let him _try.”_ Turles swings open a chain fence door before stepping back and up into his _arena_. “I won’t even hit first.”

Vegeta shoves Raditz away and follows him onto the worn red stained mats. Turles smirks, “Hold on. Let’s make this interesting.” Vegeta crosses his arms, “Since Rad is _so_ convinced we need your help. If I win…” He thinks for a moment, “if I win you fix our books until all of that-” he nods towards a few cheap locked boxes on top of a table pushed into a corner, “-is gone.”

“HA! If you win?!” In a flare of pride fueled anger Vegeta's ego gets the better of him, “If you win, not only will I run your numbers for as long as you want, I'll even make this place _successful_.”

“Is that a promise?”

They shake. Vegeta strips his shirt off, throws it to the side and steps into stance. He wobbles a little. _Shit._

 

_I’m still drunk._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y I K E S! It's been forever! Sorry! If you're still reading this then give yourself a kudo because oof! Thank you all for being so patient. I promise your encouragements (and critiques ha ha) are heard even though I'm a lazy p.o.s. who never responds <3\. I've been sitting on this for way too long! Life is wild like that. Also I hit a block on this story. But don't worry, the spark is back. Shout-out to my muse and husband for listening to me whine about this chapter then agreeing to edit it with zero context. What. A. Champ.
> 
> Regarding this chapter specifically, I just want to say that I'm SOO happy I finally got to introduce Turles. Let me tell you, ya'll are going to hate him by the end if you don't already because, if you haven't read anything else by me and don't already know, I *l o v e* writing horrible people.


	17. What A Match

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All of the italic thoughts in the chapter belong to Vegeta.

It was the quickest fight Vegeta had ever been in.

 

Vegeta threw first and Turles dodged because he knew it was coming. He told Vegeta to hit first, he was waiting for Vegeta to hit first. So he could dodge, step in close and connect his elbow to Vegeta’s temple.

 

Then immediately connect his other elbow to Vegeta's rib cage.

 

Then just as quickly follow up with his knee slamming into Vegeta’s gut.

 

Another elbow cracks down on Vegeta’s spine and he drops.

 

“Didn’t realize you wanted to be on your knees that bad for me.” Turles says dancing back and forth on his feet.

 

Vegeta’s still struggling to suck in air from the blow to his abdomen when a sudden hard kick to the chest puts him on his back. Turles is on top of him, first reared back before he can get up. “I told you.” Turles sneers, “This isn’t a fucking boxing ring.” He hits and Vegeta’s head snaps to the right. Then to the left, then back to the right. Then it was black.

 

Vegeta wakes up to a couple missed calls and a couple more texts from his brother asking if he was alright and why he didn’t come back last night. He decides to come up with a lie later and figures he’ll have to also have to come home late after his little brother fell asleep so he didn’t see his bruised face.

 

Vegeta looks around and sees that he is laid on one of the tables in the bar upstairs.

 

“Rise and fucking shine _princess._ ” Turles is standing behind the bar sneering. _Always fucking sneering._ “Guess who our new accountant is.”

 

Vegeta groans and rubs his jaw as he sits up, “I’m not a fucking accountant. Idiot.”

 

“You are now.”

 

Vegeta shakes his head, “No. I’m really not.”

 

A book thumps Vegeta in the back and he whips around delivering a glare to Turles who is pouring himself a drink. Vegeta picks up the book and starts flipping through it.

 

“What... is this? This is not either of the ledgers I saw yesterday.”

 

“Nope. Those were for the bar.”

 

Vegeta stomach sinks when he realizes. “This… this is how you’ve been keeping track... of your betting?”

 

“Yuuup!” He throws back a shot. “And fighter fees, entry fees, insurance fees… everything downstairs is in that book. That's the record of all the income we need to put... ” he waves to the register, “upstairs. Into the other books.”

 

“Christ. This is… what the fuck…” He flips through it a little more anxiously. “What the actual fuck…” _I'm going back to prison. Just accept it. I was never going to make it out here anyway-_ He threads his fingers through his hair until he begins to realize something didn’t quite add up. “...How… much do you charge at the door?"

 

"Twenty. Ish."

 

Vegeta frowns, "And... how many people show to these... matches?”

 

Turles shrugs. “Depends who’s fighting.”

 

Vegeta rolls his eyes, “Obviously. So give me a fucking average. Or are you incapable of even the simplest math?”

 

“I-” He scoffs, “I don’t know. Maybe a hundred? Or so? However many people we can fit. We don’t- … We don’t count them. As long as they pay-”

 

Vegeta looks back down at the book. “Clearly.” _Of course it doesn’t add up. He’s a fucking idiot._ He scrutinizes one page in particular, "What the hell kinda odds are those? they don't even-" Vegeta closes his eyes and inhales, exhales. “Do you have the paperwork for this place? For the bar? The licenses, lease? All that?”

 

“Uhh…”

 

“I’m going to need those.” He flips back and forth between the pages a few times, “The originals if you have them.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because! I actually don’t know how you haven’t been shut down! Do you pay your rent in fucking cash to a slumlord who doesn’t ask questions?!”

 

“.......”

 

Vegeta sighs, “Why did I even ask- Of fucking course you do!” he slams the book shut, “Well!” He throws his arms up and gets off the table, “At least I got to eat at my favorite place before I got locked up again!”

 

“Yeah? Which place?”

 

“Shut up.” Vegeta narrows his eyes at Turles. “We” he gestures between them, “are not friends.” Then he stomps off down the stairs into the basement book in hand.

 

***

 

It was Vegeta’s good fortune that Turles was hardly ever at work but bad fortune that Raditz almost always was. Vegeta was thus reminded on an hourly basis how much Raditz used to irritate him. It hadn’t even been a week and he was already grinding his teeth down to the bone to avoid constantly snapping at him.

 

“-Because! You idiot! If you want me to cook your books, you need to do it right. Which is the way _I_ tell you!”

 

“But-”

 

“And so if I tell you we need to sit here and print fake fucking receipts for six fucking hours a day, then trust me that’s what we need to do. You’re lucky your register is old enough that we can fuck with the date and time to make up for your backlog of incompetence!”

 

Raditz groans and continues tapping on the register.

 

“I still have to correct your nightmare excuse for a house betting system once we’re done with this! So don’t you whine to _me_ about _working.”_

 

“It’s not that bad-”

 

“It is that bad! It’s a miracle no one’s audited you yet. It's a miracle the police haven't raided this place! I’m still not convinced this is even a legitimate business we can use to alleviate your _money problem_.” he hisses, “Turles has yet to show me any of the paperwork and licensing not to mention-!”

 

The heavy wooden door is suddenly kicked open by the only saving grace this place had. Chi Chi walks in carrying more food than Vegeta thought possible for one person to carry. Over the last few days he had learned her cooking was to die for and she liked to lose her temper nearly as much as he did.

 

“Uhg! Finally! Someone else to yell at him.”

 

“What? Why? What’d he do this time? Raditz what did you do?” She sets the savory smelling bags down on the bar and puts her hands on her hips.

 

“I didn’t do anything-”

 

“You did something. You always do something. Why are you giving Vegeta such a hard time? He’s saving your ass-”

 

“Uhhhg-” He lays his head down on the register and makes it known that endless high pitched beeping was preferable to their criticism. He reaches one hand over to grab food out of the bag, but Chi Chi swats his hand.

 

“Not until you’re done.” He groans, lifts his head and resumes his button pushing. “What’re you guys up to? Can I help?”

 

“No, Chi Chi. You’re fine.” Vegeta waves her off, “Thanks for bringing food.”

 

“Of course!” She says brightly before walking behind the bar and taking a quick inventory of the bar’s small stock that was constantly depleted despite there only ever being four people who drank here.

 

There is a soft clinking of glasses and bottles behind them as they work while Chi Chi straightens up and wipes down the bar.

 

“Babe, you really don’t have to do that-”

 

“I do.” She holds up her index finger at Raditz, “Because Turles never will and you know it. And we’re not leaving this place a mess before we leave tonight.”

 

“You’re leaving?” Vegeta asks.

 

“Yeah, but we’ll be back tomorrow. My little brother’s got a thing tonight so- ”

 

She smacks Raditz’ back with the damp bar towel. “It’s not a _thing._ It’s his first pro level match. It’s a big deal! Be supportive.”

 

“Yeah, I know! I am.” He looks at Vegeta and hesitantly admits, “My little brother... boxes. Like for real.”

 

“...Oh.” _Shit. That’s tonight?!_ _W_ _here does that idiot always GO!? I haven’t even seen him since we-_ “What time are you heading out?”

 

Raditz sighs, “I don’t know. It’s at seven, but we have to go back to the house so probably like six? … Chi Chi takes for _ever_ ” he grumbles, “So maybe five.”

 

“Oh _I_ take forever?” She quips. “I’m not the one who takes three hours just to brush out their hair-”

 

Raditz rolls his eyes, “I do not-”

 

“Yeah? ‘Cause last time we went out we were waiting on you because you couldn’t figure out how to use a-”

 

Raditz lets out a loud annoyed sigh that Chi Chi takes as a personal slight. Their squabbling continues and Vegeta lets his face fall into his palms with a long exhale until Chi Chi pulls him back into the conversation.

 

“You should come with us tonight, Vegeta. Didn’t you used to box?”

 

“No.”

 

She lifts the ledger in front of him and wipes underneath of it, “Well, Goku is really good. _And,”_ she winks, “pretty cute. He just finished college and he’s-”

 

“Chi.” Raditz says flatly, “Can you not?”

 

“Why? He’s totally Goku’s type-”

 

Vegeta hadn’t yet pulled his face out from his palms and now he couldn’t because he’s pretty sure it had just lit on fire. ... _I am? What does that mean? What’s his type-_

 

“Yeah, I know he's- that’s kinda the point, Chi. Sorry Vegeta, but you’re not allowed to date my little brother. No offense.”

 

The fact that he needed to confer with anyone else about this matter other than Kakarot had never even crossed his mind. No, they weren't dating, but now that Raditz of all people said he wasn’t _allowed_ to- ... _Fuck you. I will take offense to that._

 

“But they have so much in common!” She claps suddenly determined to matchmake this disaster. “And Vegeta’s a good guy-” She continues,

 

_I’m definitely not-_

 

“If anything he’ll keep Goku out of trouble!”

 

_...I… don’t think I would-_

 

“No, no Chi-Chi please stop trying to set up Ka with every-”

 

“You guys would hit it off so well. I know it.” She says to Vegeta, “We’re leaving at five and you’re coming with. I won’t take no for an answer-”

 

“I’m… really not supposed to go… to those kinds of events…” He finally manages to utter quietly into his palms. “Parole and all…” _Not trying to run into old 'friends' and all..._

 

“Well you’re not supposed to be working with this bonehead either, so-”

 

He couldn’t refute her logic and buries his face deeper into his hands in an attempt to mask his embarrassment with irritation.

 

“Can you just leave him alone? Dude, you don’t have to go-”

 

“No, don’t listen to him. It’s fine. This will be totally good for you. He’s so nice-”

 

_Fuck. He is so nice. Why does he have to be to so nice-_

 

“Chi…” Radtiz grumbles.

 

She smacks the back of Radtiz’ head, “Stop. Why are you being the worst? Vegeta’s actually half a decent guy and he’s-”

 

Raditz  rolls his eyes, “Maybe because I don’t wanna lead on-” he shakes Vegeta’s shoulders, “my buddy here-”

 

“I’m not your _buddy_ you gigantic walking fuck up.” He mutters from between his fingers.

 

“Beca~ause” he brushes off Vegeta’s snide remark, “Ka already met someone.”

 

She raises her brows in disbelief.

 

Vegeta’s eyes snap open with shock and he’s sure his expression, if they could have seen it, would have given him away. _He did?!_

 

“Yeah, this new guy. Works uh- security or something, I think. I don’t know. But it’s legit.”

 

_Shit. It’s me. I’m the new guy._

 

“Oh really?”

 

“Yeah, he hasn’t told me a lot about him yet, but it’s” Raditz reassures, “pretty serious.”

 

_...It is?!_

 

“Really.” Chi Chi says doubtfully.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“What’s his name?”

 

“Like I said. He hasn’t told me a lot about him-”

 

Chi Chi scoffs, “You are the biggest liar I’ve ever met. He either told you everything or he didn’t meet someone. Goku can’t keep his mouth shut anymore than you can.”

 

“See? But that’s why I’m saying it’s serious. Because he’s different about this guy. Wouldn’t tell me his name or how they met or anything except that he's fit and apparently…” Raditz smirks, “Super good at using his tongue.”

 

 _...I'm WHAT?!_ Even the tips of Vegeta’s ears were glowing red now.

 

Chi Chi’s mouth drops open and she starts laughing, “He did _not_ say that!”

 

_What did I do with my tongue?!_

 

“He did. I swear.”

 

_And when?! Was that when we hooked up last week or-_

 

“Goku? Our Goku? My innocent little brother in law?”

 

 _And why would he tell Raditz?!_ He sinks deeper into the pool of shame he was currently drowning in.

 

Raditz snorts loudly, “He’s not innocent. It’s all a front. He’s a deviant.”

 

 _…_ _He is?!_

 

Chi Chi clicks her tongue, “I don’t believe that for a second.”

 

_Me neither!_

 

“Have you even seen his Grindr?”

 

_His what?_

 

“Uh, of course. Me, Bulma and 18 are the ones who made it for him.”

 

“Oh, so then you know all about how much he loves-”

 

“Stop it. Don’t be rude.” She gently pushes Radtiz’ shoulder.

 

_No! Wait! Tell me!_

 

“I’m just sayin’. He is. You just haven’t spent enough time around him to know.”

 

She shakes her head in disbelief, “He’s a sweetheart and you will forever be the deviant in your family.”

 

“Yeah ok. Tell that to his bad boy kink.”

 

_………………………… HISWHAT?!_

 

Chi Chi puts a hand on her hip and raises her brow at Radtiz, “That doesn’t even compare to your-”

 

Vegeta didn’t know the human body could reach these temperatures and he had the sudden urge to shove his head in the ice box next to him and maybe hopefully, that would also send him into shock and kill him and save him from this mortifying conversation that wasn’t about him but was also about _him_ and he didn't know how to break it to Raditz that he knew who Kakarot's 'new guy' was or what his reaction would be. In fact he didn't even consider this side of things when he took this job and he was not prepared to lose another one this quickly and- _Wait. Your little what-in-law?_ He finally looks up at them confident he could now change the subject without raising suspicion.“You two… are married?”

 

“Oh? He didn’t tell you?” Chi Chi tilts her head in mock disbelief before sending a bone chilling glare in her husband's direction.

 

“Uh- haha…Yeah…” Vegeta watches Radtiz’ wife come up behind him, wrap her arms around her him and squeeze lovingly. Or maybe it was more… possessively because Raditz suddenly looked a little… scared _._ “Just about six months now.” he wheezes, “It was kinda…  sudden.”

 

“His little brother witnessed us. It was a quiet courthouse ceremony. Nothing fancy.” She says with a certain overly sweet, romanticized tone in her voice that came off as deceptively pleased with the circumstance.

 

“...Yup. But uh, I haven’t really told anyone else yet… except Kakarot of course. And Turles. And you…” He says with a weak smile.  “‘Cause we wanna wait… until we can ...legally _..._ afford a big… wedding…”

 

“Mmmmhm” Chi Chi presses her cheek to her husband’s and rocks him side to side. “And then we’ll finally be able to start a family. Right babe?”

 

To say her husband looked terror-stricken would have been an massive understatement. Vegeta was pretty sure Raditz was bordering on cardiac arrest while he himself was nothing short of amused that Raditz ended up getting trapped by a smart conniving woman who knew exactly what she wanted and how to get it.

 

Vegeta grins mischievously at Chi Chi, “How’d you manage to tie this animal down?”  

 

“Oh that wasn’t hard at all. I made him my famous pork roast one time and suddenly he was all but begging me to get married.” She looks down at him, “Weren’t you?”

 

“HahahOoohyeah. That’s definitely what it was… yup.”  ....  ‘Please help me.’ He mouths. ‘I’ve made a terrible mistake’

 

Chi Chi kisses him on the cheek, lets him go and resumes cleaning.

 

Vegeta smirks ‘I think she’s good for you.’

 

Raditz’ face suddenly dropped into that look a person gets when they realize they’re in a locked room and surrounded by enemies.

 

“Don’t worry Vegeta” Chi Chi says now stacking chairs on tables, “I’ll get to the bottom of Goku’s mystery man and see if we can’t set you up yet.” She walks off to the back.

 

He managed to come up with an excuse that Chi Chi only let slide because if she kept arguing they would have been late. But that didn’t mean he was going to miss that fight. It takes him about ten minutes to figure out all the controls to the new large complicated TV and sound system Vegeta was one hundred percent sure Raditz and Turles bought cash down with dirty money. But he gets it all on and adjusted and he finds the right channel with hardly a moment to spare.

 

It wasn’t the same. Watching it on TV. But he had to see it. He follows every movement with critical eyes but he couldn’t deny it. Kakarot was a phenomenal boxer and he belonged in that ring. The orange shorts were kind of harsh on the eyes  _but the way he weaves!_ He catches him self thinking about what he’ll say next time they see each other. _Maybe I should apologize?_ … .. .

 

He watches Goku deliver a solid left hook ending the second round and can’t help but feel proud. The rare half smile on his face disappears when he hears the unmistakable rumbling of a motorcycle engine outside. He scrambles to turn everything off and barely succeeds before Turles cuts his engine and walks in.

 

He pretends to flip through one of the three ledgers in front of him and tries his best to resume his usual unhappy work posture but he must not be successful because Turles immediately stops in front of him and stares at him with narrowed eyes while crunching loudly on an apple that- _wait, where the fuck did he get that? His pocket?_ Vegeta looks around unsure.

 

“What were you watching?”

 

Vegeta looks back down at the coffee stained crinkled pages in front of him. “Nothing. I’m working.”

 

“Cool. So you won’t mind if I watch something else.” He snatches the remote and turns on the TV. The match and cheering fills the small dark bar with light and noise. Turles cocks his head and studies the screen for a moment before realizing, “Oh, shit. Is that Rad’s little bro?” Vegeta shrugs. “Huh.” He watches the fight while Vegeta tries desperately not to look interested but also keep track of what was going on and listen to the sound of glove hitting skin. Kakarot was winning. He knew that. After five minutes he can’t resist. He looks up at the screen in time to watch Goku land the finishing KO.

 

“Damn. He’s actually pretty good.” Turles says with a frown, “Raditz talks him up so much. ‘my little bro is the best boxer there’s ever been blah blah blah’” He rolls his eyes, “You can’t believe a word out of his dumb ass mouth. I figured he was trash. Like all the other fighters Rad knows.” He sneers at Vegeta who raises a brow at the comment.

 

It takes Turles a few moments to realize his comment backfired and when he does, he gets up suddenly, turns the TV off, grabs a bottle from behind the bar, and takes the books from Vegeta. He walks off toward the basement and shuts the door behind him.

 

“Sure. Take them. Fuck it up even more.” Vegeta rolls his eyes and taps his fingertips on the bar for a few moments before deciding if he wasn’t going to be working then he had no desire to be here and it was time to go home for the night. The train ride would give him plenty of time to come up with something to say if he happened to run into Kakarot.

 

 

_Right?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof. Got this one out quick, eh? Yay. wasn't quite sure about the ending but if i didn't cut there it would have been like fifteen pages at least. I wanted the next few events to have their own chapter.
> 
>  
> 
> My work is about to be super super crazy though and I will likely, unfortunately, be taking a long hiatus in the near future. I will try to get as much out as I can before then. But all my works will probably abruptly cease to be updated for several months. I WILL CONTINUE. once I am able. TT_TT just throwing that out there now in case I forget or don't get a chance to mention it later.


	18. Winner, Winner

As it turned out, forty five minutes on the subway and twenty five minutes of walking was not enough time to figure out what to say, but it was enough to have full on panic over  _ that big dumb amateur- WHY do I even CARE about-  _

 

He finds himself standing in front of the corner house unable to walk in. He can hear the music from outside, the people, the chatter, laughter, drinking, yelling, happy bubbly voices from every opening in the house. He should have known. _ Of course they’re celebrating _ . 

 

He wasn’t prepared to have to deal with a  _ party _ .  _ When was the last time I actually went to something like this? Have I ever? I just want to congratulate him. No. I want to tell him he missed three perfect openings in the second round and his footwork still needs work and- _ He stands there on the sidewalk anxiously looking back the way he came and strongly considers going back. He starts walking but a voice stops him.

 

“Vegeta!”

 

He turns back toward his brother who is stumbling onto the porch, beer in hand, smile on face, worry...  _ non existent  _ because he’s been buying everything Vegeta’s been telling him about his new shift schedule for the last week.

 

“Where’ve you been?! I tried to call you hours ago!” 

 

Vegeta had no choice now. He’d been seen. He had to go in. He smiles weakly as he walks up.

 

“I know you been- like- workin’ all late an’ shit, but!” Tarble staggers over, “You gotta take a break! It’s great! We’re having a party!”

 

“I see that.”

 

“‘Cause Goku won his first match!” There is an awkward pause and Tarble isn’t sure if he should have mentioned that part. He hesitates, “Or- it’s not- I don’t- it doesn’t matter! Go in! Get in there!” he laughs, “This is what a real college party looks like! Bulma throws the best-” Tarble slurs excitedly and talks too quickly for Vegeta to make much sense of what he was saying. “Hang on! I’ma tell everyone you’re here and-” 

 

“Wait. Wait! don’t-” Vegeta reaches out to stop him but Tarble is already half way through the door. “...do that.” He lets his hand drop and leans against the wall.

 

Bulma throws open the screen door moments later with rosey cheeks and bleary eyes. “Oh my god! Vegetaaaa~! Where’ve you beeen?! I’ve hardly seen you at alllll this week. We miissed you! Especially-” she giggles and tugs Goku outside along with her looking hardly more stable than she did. “Especially this one.” She gives him a good-natured shove toward Vegeta, winks then disappears back inside.

 

Goku is breathing heavy and rubbing the back of his neck with an embarrassed look on his face. The left side of his jaw is spotted with purple and red bruises. His cheek is just a little swollen and he self consciously wipes his nose to see if he’s still bleeding. “I didn’t-” He hiccups, “I didn’t see you at the- Didja see it? My match? Didja-”

 

Vegeta nods.

 

Goku grins widely, “I wrecked that guy pretty good, didn’t I? He didn't even go five rounds, didja see my-” he wobbles and places his hand on Vegeta for stabilization, “see my knock out? I got ‘im right in the ear! Bet he’s gonna feel that tomorrow!”

 

“Yeah… it was…” _ say something insulting, tell him he sucks, don’t encourage- _ “Great.”

 

“I know!” He throws his hands up and spins,” An’ I’ve never been in front of a crowd that big or anythin’! I thought I was gonna be nervous, but I think- I think it made me fight even better!” His smile was now ear to ear as he turns back toward Vegeta, “Bet you really wanna get in the ring now…” he knocks his fist against Vegeta’s shoulder, “so you can...” He stumbles as he leans in close with his mouth almost pressed to Vegeta’s ear and whispers, “ _ fight _ me.”

 

He didn’t curse. But he might as well have the way he let that word roll of his tongue against Vegeta’s skin.

 

"Kakaro-" But Goku’s already kissing him. Sloppily. It tastes like beer and alcohol and a little bit of blood, but Vegeta still lets him. He lets Goku’s hands find his neck and waist and hold on like his life depended on it, because his balance certainly did. Vegeta lets him lean against him, push him up against the house, lets him pull away and say,

 

“You didn’ mean it, right?” Vegeta can still feel Goku's mouth against his as he talks “When you said we shouldn’t- mmph” He recaptures Vegeta’s mouth, “‘cause I really wanna-” He sighs into Vegeta’s mouth and hums in pleasure as Vegeta kisses back. “You’re so-”   


 

_ Fuuuck this is- Why was I so against this again? _ “No. I didn’t mean it.” Vegeta runs his hands up under Goku’s shirt and digs his fingers into Goku’s back and deepens their kiss. With tongue. Because  _ apparently  _ he was pretty good at that. Or at least Kakarot  thought so and his response is immediate and R rated in the desperate way he opens his mouth to accept everything Vegeta was trying to give him. 

 

They thud against the wall as Kakarot's hands struggling but determined attempt to undo his belt before Vegeta could think better of it. They were five seconds away from stripping each others clothes off in a moment of pure reckless abandon. Until they weren't. Or... Kakarot wasn't. Suddenly they were no longer kissing. Kakarot had pulled away. Vegeta opens his eyes. “Kakaro-?”

 

Goku grips Vegeta’s shoulder hard for support just before the sound of someone miserably spewing their guts and liquid,  _ a lot _ of liquid, splashing onto the ground fills the air.

 

Vegeta looks down at the only pair of shoes he owned. 

 

Goku stays bent over and hiccups. “Um.” There is a long quiet pause. Even the noise inside had hit a sudden awkward lull as they stood there trying to make sense of what had just happened.

 

Vegeta doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t know what to say. But he now understood what Kakarot meant when he said, ‘you were too drunk’ because clearly this was also, ‘too drunk.’ And well, there goes...  _ whatever that just was  _ that he had been enjoying. Obviously this was Karma catching up because good things never happened to Vegeta without consequence.

 

“Sorry. I- I- … I’m sorry.” Goku looks up at him almost on the verge of tears. “I just ruined- I’m sorr-!”

 

He's sure he would have yelled at Goku if this had happened at any other time, any other way, under any other circumstances. But it didn't. Instead Vegeta found himself faced with the saddest most apologetic face he'd ever seen and it was so hard for Vegeta to be mad and even harder to take him seriously when he looked like that. Vegeta shakes his head with a chuff, “It’s... fine.” He can tell Goku doesn’t believe him. "But now you have to tell me. Is this what happened when  _ I  _ got fucked up?”

 

Goku thinks for a few moments before answering, “Kinda? … You didn’t uh… throw up on me. ...But you did tear my favorite pants.” He adds quietly.

 

Vegeta lets out a soft laugh, “I suppose this was your revenge.” 

 

“It was?”

 

“Yeah. It was.” He sighs heavily and steps out of his soaked shoes and carefully peels off his socks trying to avoid touching anything wet. “Let’s... get you inside.” Goku nods sadly as Vegeta throws Goku’s arm over his shoulder. “... Is your brother here?” Vegeta hesitates before opening the door. 

 

“Naaah he left right after the match. Didn even come over to celebrate with me ‘n take shots. Laammeeee. So lame since he got married” He lets out a bubbly laugh, “Oh shhshhhshh” he puts a finger up to his mouth. “don’t tell anyone I told ya that. He’s- no one’s supposed to know.”  


 

“...Right.”

 

Goku smiles and watches Vegeta’s expression carefully, “Why’d ya wanna know about Rad?”

 

“No reason.” He says quickly as they step through the doorway.

 

Vegeta navigates them both through the room of people to the door to the basement. He looks at the stairs, then at Goku’s slumping posture.  _ …Fuck. _

 

“You know, I’m actually feelin’ a lot better-” He leans forward and Vegeta has to pull him back so they both didn’t fall down fifteen feet of wooden steps.

 

Vegeta tilts his head in doubt, “So much better you can get down these stairs by yourself?”

 

“Oooh.” Goku looks down over the railings, “defnitly not.” He slurs as he grips Vegeta tighter and pulls him closer. Vegeta has to grab the railings in addition to Goku because this was turning into a very dangerous game of Trust. Vegeta isn’t amused by his action and Goku pouts, “At least I’m not  _ tryna _ throw ya down ‘em like you did!” 

 

“Tch. I should’ve tried harder.” Vegeta repositions them with little argument from the two hundred pound piece of steel now falling asleep on his shoulder and slowly but surely one step at a time, they make it, zero casualties. 

 

He shoves Goku toward his bed and watches him collapse onto it with a sigh. Vegeta heads toward the stairs, but is stopped when something grabs his arm and pulls him onto the bed.

 

“No leaving this time.” Goku mumbles into a pillow

 

“Kakarot-”

 

“No.” Both of Goku’s arms wraps around his waist and pull him flush to Goku’s chest.

 

Vegeta moves this way and that but Goku maintains his hold on him. He grumbles, “Kakarot.”

 

“Vege~ta” Goku mocks playfully, eyes closed, but still smiling. Then he was breathing deeply, asleep.

 

Vegeta lays there with Kakarot wrapped around him and stares up at the ceiling. “Fine. I’ll stay.” 

 

***

 

Vegeta wakes to the sound of running water and the ability to breathe properly without a heavyweight on his chest.

 

He sits up and looks toward the bathroom. The shower is running and the door is _ ... wide open?  _ He smirks as he walks in. "Thanks for turning on the water for me. How'd you know?" He says as he begins stripping off his clothes. Goku pulls back the shower curtain and his eyes widen in shock as he watches Vegeta, now naked, step into the shower with him. 

 

Goku's face reddens as he watches water run down Vegeta's muscles.  


 

"Feeling better?"

 

"Yeah." Goku looks away with an embarrassed smile.

 

“Sober?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

"Good. Because I came up with this new…  _ cardio routine _ …" he places his hands on Goku's hips, "that is particularly effective… in the shower."

 

"...yeah?" He says a little quieter, a little closer.

 

"Yeah." Vegeta bares his teeth in a mischievous smile as he closes the gap while reaching between them.

 

A few hot blurry seconds later Goku had him pushed up against the tiling sighing in relief thinking this was eerily similar to the dream he had a few weeks ago. _ But so much more satisfying- _

 

“Unh- Harder-” 

 

“I don’t know… If you can.... Ah, handle it-” Goku teases with his teeth against Vegeta’s neck as he pins Vegeta’s wrists against the tiling.  

 

And that was how Vegeta found out Goku that did in fact fuck as hard as he hit. And Goku learned Vegeta could in fact _ handle it. _

 

Neither of them lasted particularly long, they wanted it too badly to hold out and if Vegeta was being completely honest this _cardio workout_ was much more effective on the mats of the gravity gym floor ten minutes later. The bench wasn’t bad either, for certain positions at least, but of course they had to double back on the bed for comparison which had Vegeta suddenly thinking this really did end up being a good work out because he was exhausted. 

 

They both agree no more until they ordered food.

 

Goku starts flipping through channels and Vegeta flips through his phone while they wait for delivery.

  
  


Raditz

 

(945) Hey

 

(951) are u comin in today?

 

(1002) I cant figure out the formula u wrote. It doesnt make any sense.

 

(1005) whats a divided

 

(1005) divided

 

(1005) divided

 

(1005)  DIVIDEND !!!!!

 

(1005) fuckin hate autocorrect lol

 

 

Vegeta sighs and rubs his palms in his eyes.

 

"What?"

 

"Nothing. Work stuff. I’ve got to head out in a bit."

 

Goku smiles, "You got another job? See! I told you-"

 

“... Sort of. It’s… freelance work. Just, keep doing that thing where you don't mention it. To anyone." Goku nods as Vegeta continues to read through the messages. "Say... do you talk to your brother much?"

 

"Yeah, we’re pretty close."

 

“Does he know I live here?”

 

Goku shrugs, “I dunno. I didn't say anythin' but Tarble might’ve told him. They’re pretty close too. But he moved out like six months ago and sorta… dropped off the map again. Sometimes he just does that. ....Why?”

 

"Nothing. I just- don’t tell him… about me. About… this." He gestures vaguely.   


 

"Oh.”  _ Don’t be mad, but last week I told him I was maybe sorta seein’ someone and asked him for advice because Bulma is the worst, least helpful-  _ “Ok.” He smiles awkwardly, “So… how do you know my brother? Did you know him before you were in prison or-?”

 

“...It’s a long story. Remind me to tell you another time. Right now, I have to change and leave.” Vegeta starts tugging on his briefs and examines his pants before deciding they were better suited in the trash after the events of the night before.

 

“But the food-”

 

“You’ll just have to annoy me with your loud obnoxious chewing another time. I’ve really gotta run before everything-” He grabs Goku’s jaw and mashes their faces together, “goes up in flames.” 

 

"Wait, but Vegeta I wanted to talk about- does this mean we're-" But Vegeta is already running up the stairs.

 

He checks to make sure the coast is clear before closing the door behind him as quietly as possible and stealing his way up to his room.  


 

He is still buttoning his shirt as he walks back down when he remembers he doesn’t have any other shoes. He looks for Tarble’s by the door and frowns down at the loud uncomfortable footwear he would never have worn in any other situation before stuffing his feet in and heading out the door.   


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AH. I have so much planned and so much to write. I'm excited for the upcoming chapters But I sitll have lots of ~kinks~ to work out with the plot details. 
> 
> Also i have the final ch of Vegeta's life before prison flashbacks written. The critical moment. The scene. The crime. The who. the how. the why. ahhhh. It's coming, I promise! uhg. But TIMING. We're just not far along enough for it yet. TT_TT 
> 
> and if you're worried about the condition of their house don't worry. there are cleaning bots for that. 
> 
> <3


	19. The Best of Times. The Worst of Times.

He immediately regretted going to work because of course Raditz had to pick up on the one single point of failure with his normally neutral but always _fitted_ sense of fashion.

 

“DAAAAAMN Vegeta! Nice shoes!” Vegeta looks down at the bright athletic footwear that had never once seen a track, “You know, your brother has a pair just like them!” Raditz smiles, “Have you seen Tarble? Since you been out?”

 

"Yeah, we-” Vegeta hesitates, “I see him… pretty often."

 

“Oooh, nice! That’s good. Have you seen his car?”

 

“What? Yes, I’ve-”

 

“Sick, right? He bought it off a friend of mine for dirt cheap! You know he pretty much rebuilt that engine last year? Six speed, V-8 turbo-” Raditz whistles. “What a beauty. Especially after that paint job. He even tore out the seats oh, and that sound system? My ide-”

 

“He has almost killed me on eight separate occasions in that car.” Vegeta narrows his eyes.

 

“Ah… really? That’s- … crazy.” He shifts. “I’d have thought he’d be a good driv-”

 

“I know you’re the one who taught him-”

 

“Did you know he works with Capsule Corp. now?”

 

“Don’t change the subject-”

 

“In fact! He doesn’t just work for them! He works for the head scientist, who is suuuper hot.” He wiggles his eyebrows, 

 

"I know what you're trying to do, Raditz" he growls, "and it's not working-"

 

“I don’t know how much he told you while you were locked up-”

 

“Not enough apparently-”

 

“But he did this science contest thing and won an internship for Capsule Corp. and he did so well they decided to keep him on the team part time until he graduates and can go full time. Pretty fuckin’ cool man. You should be proud of him."

 

“I a-”

 

"You’re probably wondering how I know all this!”

 

“No, I’m wondering why you’re still talking-”

 

“We actually lived together for a while! Me an’ my brother rented this sweet party house while we were in college and-” Vegeta raises his brow, “Yeah, I tried the college thing- didn’t really work out. But I did meet Chi Chi and…” He looks away trying to hide the soft smile he couldn’t repress, “Anyway! Bulma (that’s the hot science girl) was looking for a place to rent too- she and my lil bro have been friends for years- so we were like hell yeah, rich girl payin’ hella rent! No problem! But we still had an empty room for a while and that was whatever- BUT THEN! Bulma told us her li’l intern needed a place to stay ‘cause I guess like- I don’t know what his situation was- but it’s so funny ‘cause at first I was like no fuckin’ way, who the fuck is this tiny little goodey two shoes kid ace-ing line equations-"

"Linear equations."

 

"-in his 2nd semester, he sounded like a major buzz kill. But then I realized it was your li’l bro! And I was like hell yeah, dude! Small world!”

 

Vegeta hadn’t yet disclosed where he lived and he had no plans of doing so. But he can’t help but wonder if Raditz had put it together yet that since at the very least their brothers lived in the same house there was a very real possibility that he had in fact met Kakarot. That Kakarot had even choked on his food in front of Vegeta. That they Had gotten shithoused together. Had even made unbelieveably awkward passes at each other. Slept in the same bed, used the same shower at the same time and-

 

“Man, that house was LIT! Party 24/7. I miss him. You tell him I said hey next time you see him, yeah?”

 

"No.”

 

Raditz forces a smile, “...you’re still mad about the driving, aren’t ya-?"

 

“YES I’M STILL MAD ABOUT THE DRIVING! What the fuck, Raditz!”

 

“....Yeeah. Well, you know… he actually set a pretty impressive record over in North city’s track, 167 miles per hour! So, I feel like I did a pretty good job honestly-”

 

“He WHAT?!”

 

“Oooh. He didn’t tell you that? Ahh… shit. … You know what else is cool?” he laughs nervously, “You know Chi Chi is-”

 

“You got my brother into drag racing?!?!”

 

“Nah, nah! Of course not. We hardly ever raced out in town ‘cause I have like, _way_ too many points on my license to risk that again."

 

“What! The! Fuc-”

 

“Duuuuude, it’s fine. It was all totally legal. At the track. Where it’s... So legal. The legalest.” Vegeta remains painfully unconvinced, “Aw c’mon. Cut him a little slack. His car is so nice, once he finished the engine we had to race it!”

 

Vegeta clicks his tongue, “I really hadn’t planned on going back to prison this soon, but for you Raditz, I honestly couldn’t be happier making an exception-”

 

“Ah, no it’s fine. I swear. He always wears his seatbelt and… stops at… stop signs- and … Oh hey, wow. Look at... “ Raditz starts flipping through the ledgers “look at all this work we have to do. Haha… yeah wow. We should… really be working…notmurderingRaditz.” He mutters with a forced smile and lifts the ledger up toward his face so only his mountains of hair were visible.

 

“You are the worst person I know.” Vegeta glares through the bound pages while opening the other book and makes it clear the amount of self restraint he was currently utilizing to reluctantly agree that there was in fact a lot of work to do was God level. 

 

But of course being a terrible influence on Tarble while he’d been in prison was not the worst of Raditz’ charming qualities. 

 

The worst thing about Raditz was that, over the next few weeks, Vegeta discovered he was an even bigger and unfortunately even more reliable rumor mill than he had been before Vegeta got locked up. And for _SOME FUCKING REASON_ almost all of the rumors Raditz was now publicizing _at work!_ were about _Vegeta._ Raditz didn’t _know_ they were about Vegeta. But Vegeta knew they were about Vegeta. And that was all it took to turn what was already a miserable job into one that was slowly draining Vegeta of his will to live. And he’s sure he would never have indulged Kakarot in any of his absolutely depraved (but oh-so-satisfying) fantasies if he’d known he’d have to hear them retold by Raditz.

 

And he wasn’t about to _stop_ Raditz either. He couldn’t _not_ hear what Kakarot had to say about him. But the utter humiliation of it was not always worth knowing Kakarots thoughts. _When he had them._

 

Especially since Raditz felt inclined to use only the most embarrassingly explicit details to support his case against Chi Chi in proving that _Yes_ , Kakarot’s mystery man was _Real._ because- 

 

“I couldn’t make this shit up if I tried, babe. I swear.” 

 

Chi Chi snatches her husbands phone. “No.You have to be making this up. Goku would never-” Her eyes search his screen carefully, scrolling left to right, then widen. Her mouth drops open and-

 

_I’m going to fucking kill him this time for sure._

 

“fuckin’ told ya.” Raditz says smirking, reading over her shoulder.

 

“And he still won’t tell you his name? They’ve been a thing for like a month now haven’t they?”

 

Raditz shakes his head. “I’m startin’ to think it’s someone I know and that’s why he won’t tell me. Like, maybe someone on the hockey team or-”

 

She continues scrolling, “Wow. Wo- WOW. Is this even possible?” She points to something in his texts. 

 

“Apparently.” Raditz shrugs.

 

Chi Chi leans in close over her husband’s shoulder and hands his phone back to him with a frown, “He’s lying to you. There’s no WAY anyone can-” 

 

Vegeta dramatically and very loudly slams the book he was writing in shut. “Do you two have no sense of decency?!" Radtiz shrugs, "I cannot believe he willingly shares such personal details with you!” _Really, Kakarot! It’s humiliating to hear about how much you like that I don’t choke despite you trying your best from_ _Radtiz_ _! AAH! I’m going to round kick your face into the mats tonight! And if your neck breaks! OH WELL! AT LEAST I WON’T HAVE MY PRIVATE TALENTS HIGHLIGHTED TO THE PUBLIC BY AN IDIOT._ Vegeta looks at Chi Chi to see if at least she had any sense. 

 

She apologizes but it's clear from her smile she's not sorry. She enjoys the gossip even more than her husband.

 

Raditz smirks, "It's actually so great 'cause he thinks its harmless kiss and tell, but really, I'm gatherin' intel. You'd be surprised what he lets slip when he thinks he's just tryin' to one up me."

 

_Are you fucking serious, Kakarot?! That's how he's getting all this out of you?! You gullible-!_

 

"For example: -  And I think you’ll appreciate this, Vegeta. He’s apparently pretty hot.” 

 

_You’re goddamn right I am!_

 

Raditz looks down at his phone with a squint as he searches, "Ok, ok, so… yeah here it is. Mystery dude is… short. Like, not just shorter than Ka, he’s fuckin’ _short._ ” 

 

Vegeta can’t suppress an offended brow crinkle from flashing briefly across his face that Chi Chi catches.

 

“He’s dark haired. Medium-ish length. Probably. Definitely no facial hair.”

 

_How the fuck- no, WHY the fuck does he know that-_

 

“He's super jacked. Like, I think maybe a bodybuilder?" Chi Chi nods in agreement.  "… No tattoos or piercings."

 

"Already an improvement from the last guy." She chirps happily.

 

"Yeah, as far as that goes..." He scrolls through for a few seconds and snorts "Oh! And I’m pretty sure he's a few years older than Ka. _Definitely_ been around the block a few times. Knows what he’s doin’.” He looks up at Vegeta with a grin, “Pretty fuckin’ good right? Lot of info.”

 

Vegeta says nothing and internally panics over how terrifyingly accurate that was. 

 

"Ah. If I could just get a name outta him! But whatever. We should be able to pick him outta the crowd at his next match, don't you think babe? Easy spot."

 

Chi chi nods, "Oh for sure. And if that's not enough, Goku will give it away with one look in his direction." She casts a sly smile toward Vegeta. “He’s obviously crazy about this guy.”

 

_FuckfuckfuckfuckgoddamnitKakarot! Guess I'm watching your next match here again!_

 

"Why do you two care so much about the intimate details of his personal life?” He mutters with muted exasperation over the whole situation. “Don't you think he's capable of making his own decisions? He's an adult. He doesn't need your approv-"

 

Chi Chi and Raditz exchange glances and start laughing. 

 

"You obviously don't know my lil bro. He’s-” Raditz sighs tiredly and palms his face, “Way too fuckin’ nice. You’d think for a fighter he’d have a little more scrap to him. But noOoOo. He’ll let any half decent set of abs with a bad attitude walk all over him." He shakes his head. "Complete push over. Dates the _worst_ guys. And he’s notorious for givin’ second chances to people who don’t deserve them.” He rolls his eyes, “So I gotta watch out for him. And uh, maybe occasionally do some shit he doesn’t need to know about so he doesn’t get fucked over. Y’know? All in a day’s work for an older brother."

 

Vegeta raises a brow in doubt because Raditz was wrong. Kakarot did not let Vegeta walk all over him. No, in fact Kakarot walked all over Vegeta. In the bedroom anyway.

 

***

 

“You want to what?” Vegeta bites lightly into Goku’s shoulder with furrowed brows.

 

“Yeah, I mean…” He slides his hands further up Vegeta’s sides, “you said you didn’t like the handcuff idea but-”

 

“I didn’t say I didn’t like it. I said I’d crack the sternum of anyone who ever tried to make me wear them again. Very different.”

 

"Oh… kay… but what about just ropes? Or like… I dunno we could use-”

 

Vegeta lets go and lays back on his elbows with a huff, “This is the fourth time you’ve brought this up. You really want to do it that badly?”

 

Goku answers by hiding a deceivingly bashful smile in the sweat slicked skin of Vegeta's neck, teasing with sharp white teeth and grinding his eagerness against him.

 

A few more minutes of intimate coaxing and Vegeta finally agrees. It wasn’t that Vegeta wasn’t intrigued by the idea _._ He had just never done anything like that before and he was learning somewhat reluctantly that while no, Kakarot was not particularly experienced in the traditional sense, he was very _very_ creative and seemed to be trying to prove a point that prison had afforded Vegeta _quantity_ over _quality._

 

The experimentation resulted in a snapped bedpost, raw wrists, two extremely satisfying orgasms and Kakarot remarking somewhat breathlessly, “Ok, yeah wow... um…” he bites his lip, “do you wanna tie _me_ up now? ‘Cause I kinda wanna try this thing where you-”

 

“What would I restrain you to, Kakarot?” Vegeta gestures to the broken post with the cloth hand wraps still knotted around his wrists.

 

Goku looks around until his eyes settled on iron with an intense expression. “The rack.”

 

So that quickly became an after workout favorite. In fact they found the “gravity gym” aspect, when properly utilized, added a whole new level of intensity to intimacy they both enjoyed _immensely._

 

Figuring out you could get a hell of a workout while also getting laid might have been the best kept secret the corner house ever had. Except that it wasn't a secret. Because he heard about it later that next day at work and had to deal with Raditz now trying to enlist Vegeta’s help in discovering who Kakarot’s fling was.

 

“Oh c’mooon, Vegeta. It’s just a stupid app. Download it and who knows! Maybe you’ll find someone who meets your absurd standards while we’re doing reconnaissance-”

 

“No.”

 

“But-”

 

“Why don’t you download it?” Vegeta snaps. “Create a fake- … Profile or whatever- and why do you think you’d even find him on social media? Maybe he doesn’t have any-”

 

Raditz eyes go wide with realization, “Oh dude… you could totally be right. Wait- but what makes you think that?” He scrolls through his phone, “You think he’s like, _that_ much older?”

 

“What? No-”

 

“Or do you think-”

 

“I don’t think anything Raditz! Get back to work!” He throws a pen at Raditz’ face with a huff and he wishes his stress would stay at work. But sometimes it was unavoidable at home too.

 

***

 

It’s four o’ clock in the morning and Vegeta is walking upstairs to get a glass of water. He didn’t expect there to be anyone else awake at this hour on a Wednesday. He didn’t think he was taking much of a risk walking to the kitchen in nothing but Goku’s heinously colored but incredibly comfortable sweatpants.

 

“...Vegeta?” Tarble sits up and there is a clatter of beer cans as the two that had been placed precariously on his head by Yamcha fall to the floor. “When did you-? I haven’t seen you since Monday. Where have you-”

 

Vegeta looks at Tarble. Tarble looks at Vegeta. Silence. Tarble’s head tilts curiously at the bright orange pants.

 

“Are those… Goku’s? Wait,” Vegeta starts quickly walking toward the kitchen, “Ahhahaha, you can’t- Noo, you don’t get to run away now-” He gets up off the couch and tails his older brother. “Vegeta, why are you wearing his pants-”

 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’ve owned these for weeks-”

 

Tarble laughs, “You think I’m gonna believe that? Because I’m pretty sure you said the only way you’d ever wear orange again is if you committed another felony-”

 

“Maybe I did! Maybe Kakarot’s dead-”

 

“And YET! Here you are. In his pants. So I can ONLY ASSUME-”

 

“NOTHING! You can assume nothing! Tarble! You presumptuous-”

 

“I can’t fucking believe it! You and- Oh my god.” His tone shifts to accusation, “Is that- is that where you’ve been this whole time? How are you getting in and out of the house without anyone seeing you?! And- so wait, all your bullshit ‘extra shifts’ are you just-”

 

“Of course not! Don’t be ridiculous. It’s a long commute and I do actually work long hours-” _Because the sooner I finish the job the better._

 

“At four in the morning?” Tarble narrows his eyes. 

 

“I- Fine! Yes! Sometimes! I say I’m working. When I’m not. Because!” His eyes dart away from his little brother and he reluctantly mumbles because he wasn’t getting out of this one, “We're sleeping together.”

 

Tarble snorts loudly, “You-” he tries to stifle his amusement, “I can’t fuckin’ believe you sometimes-”

 

“Oh? Really? Well it’s not your concern anyway. So believe whatever you want.” He spits defensively.

 

“What do you _mean_ ‘not my concern’? You’re my brother- we live in the same house-”

 

“I mean! I don’t need your judgmental nose in my fucking business telling me who I should or shouldn’t fuck, Tarble!” 

 

“I- I wasn’t gonna- I just-”

 

“You certainly had enough to say last time- And he’s not just some easy route back to boxing!”

 

“I didn’t say-”

 

“Going to the gym to spar is _completely_ different than competing in underground matches so it’s not like this is actually a violation of my parole-”

 

“I-”

 

“And I’m not a bad guy! Just because- I-... He can make that decision for himself! It’s not like anyone needs your fucking approval or-”

 

“I know,” Tarble puts his hands up to try and signal surrender, “Vegeta, I didn’t mean-”

  
He scoffs with hurt laughter, “You know nothing about-!”

 

“Holy shit, Vegeta! Shut up!” Silence settles back in the kitchen for a moment. “Jeez. Where the fuck did that come from?”

 

Vegeta closes his mouth and doesn’t say anything.

 

“I know I teased you about him a few weeks ago but- I didn’t know what I said bothered you that much.”

 

“I- … It didn’t.” He snips.

 

Tarble laughs softly, "Ok. Well... I guess I... take back what I said." He smiles reassuringly, "Maybe you’re right. Maybe ‘boxing’” He offers with an exaggerated wink. “as a hobby will be therapeutic.”

 

Vegeta raises a brow at his brother’s change of heart.

 

“You guys really do have a lot in common. ...Even though you keep insisting you hate him-”

 

“I do! That's the problem! It's like he thrives on it! And it's fucking! ...Adorable!” He exasperates and Tarble cracks up, “You think I’m lying?! When I tell him I hate the way he just stuffs entire pizzas into his goddamn mouth before I’ve even had a slice?! Or how much I hate it when he makes me fucking laugh at his stupid fucking jokes or when he-” Vegeta chuffs, “...He’s the worst!”

 

Tarble nods, “Yeah, he made you laugh for once in your life. What a dick.”

 

Vegeta smacks the back of his brother’s head, “Shut up.”

 

“I’m… gonna be honest, I’ve lived here for a hot minute and I didn’t know he was gay. Like, I kinda thought that guy he kept inviting to stuff last semester wasn’t just one of his ‘teammates’ but I really didn’t think you had much of a chance-”

 

Vegeta nods, “I didn’t think I did either. I get the impression he doesn’t like people to know.” 

 

“Yeah, I can see that. Especially as an athlete, collegiate and then pro? He probably deals with the press and stuff. Isn’t his dad pretty famous too? Must be kind of-”

 

“...What _guy?_ ”

 

“I don’t know. He was kind of an asshole though. Raditz and Bulma _hated_ him and- oh my god everything makes so much sense now!”

 

“What makes sense?” He says now edging away from irritated and closer to anxious.

 

Tarble snorts, “Why do _you_ care.”

 

“I don’t!” He snaps.

 

“Stop lyyying! You care so much! Are you guys serious? How long has this-”

 

“No. It’s not serious. It’s not anything.” he scoffs, “Stop asking questions.”

 

“Yeah. Yeah. Cool. Cool. …” _I’m totally gonna ask Bulm-_

 

“And don’t ask Bulma about it either! She doesn’t know anything anyway!”

 

Tarble nods quickly. “Oh no. Of course not.” _….Gonna ask her tomorrow-_

 

“And fuck! Definitely, DEFINITELY do not tell Raditz!” He rushes out suddenly.

 

“Wh- ? Why?” He laughs, “He like, disappeared anyway. No one has seen him in months.”

 

“Be… cause…” he sweats over revealing why Raditz finding out would cause him so much strife. "...Kakarot... is..."

 

Tarble nods knowingly, “Ok. Ok. Say no more. Yeah, I totally see him as the protective type, you know what I mean? He’s too nosey to not be.” He laughs. “But weren’t you guys friends before, so why are you-?”

 

“No.” Vegeta mutters. “We were never friends… Accomplices, maybe. Associates.”

 

“Whatever. Scouts honor” he raises his right hand, “I won’t tell a soul.” _Except Bulma. Even though she totally already knows._

 

Vegeta exhales quietly in relief and leans back against the counter. The quiet sustains itself but Vegeta can tell his brother was barely holding back more questions and speaks before Tarble has the chance to keep pestering him, “...Don’t you have class tomorrow? Shouldn’t you be in bed?”

 

“I’m an adult. I do what I want.” Tarble rolls his eyes and gives him the middle finger as he heads up the stairs. Vegeta smirks before making his way back to the seventy inch space heater he was currently sharing a bed with. But not without first stripping off the orange sweats and putting them in the trash where they’d never out him again.

 

He presses his forehead to the back of Goku’s neck with furrowed brows and a frown, “I hate your clothes. I’m going to burn all of them as soon as I get the chance.”

 

“Yeah?” Goku mumbles. 

 

“Yes.”

 

A hand finds Vegeta’s and pulls it down to the naked skin where all the heat was radiating from. “...’Sa good thing I don’t like wearin’ ‘em anyway.” he mumbles sleepily with a smile.

 

“Fuck- we just- what is wrong with you-” Vegeta asks as he turns Goku’s mouth to his.

 

***

 

Vegeta has his feet up on the coffee table and Goku’s head in his lap. He’s trying to get the hang of this game Tarble had showed him but can’t even get past the first level.

 

“Why don’t you put it on easy mode?” Goku mumbles as Vegeta’s aggressive button smashing jerks him back awake.

 

“I don’t need to put it on _easy!_ If he can beat it on expert I can beat it on expert.”

 

Goku rolls his eyes, “He plays video games all the time. He probably played on easy in the beginning.”

 

“Tch.” He pauses on that thought for a moment, “I don’t care. I don’t need to put it on _easy.”_

 

“L3 is slide. You suck.”

 

Goku snaps up at the sound of Tarble’s voice and distances himself from Vegeta as awkwardly as possible.

 

“Did you even do the tutorial?”

 

“Yes, I-!” Vegeta stammers indignantly.

 

“Well you’re not playing like it.”

 

Vegeta glares at his little brother who is standing behind the couch eating a bowl of cereal.

 

“Pretty sure even Goku beat this level first try.”

 

Vegeta’s head whips towards Goku who is rubbing the back of his neck trying to pretend he was not just caught laying all over Vegeta.

 

“Ha ha…. I’m sure it took me a few tries… I’ve… also played a lot more video games than you…” _andi’msogladwe’rejustgoingtobrushoveryouwalkinginonuslikethat-_

 

“It took you one try.”

 

The betrayal was evident on Vegeta’s face and it earns Goku a punch to the shoulder. 

 

“Also you don’t have to get up just ‘cause I’m here. I don’t care.”

 

 _Ooohhhkayandwe’renotgoingtojustbrushover wait._ He looks over at Vegeta to gauge his reaction but he's already sucked back into the game and Goku's not even sure if Vegeta heard his little brother's statement. "You... you don't?" He says edging back toward him.

 

“No, he doesn't. I already told him.” Vegeta says with no emotion trying very hard to pretend more interested in the screen than this conversation.

 

“You- wait, you did? When?”

 

“A few days ago. AHh! I was so close that time! F-” 

 

“But… I thought you didn’t wanna tell anyone.” His tone suddenly shifts to quiet irritation.

 

"He didn't tell me. I caught him." Tarble mutters.

 

“No, I just didn’t want you to tell Raditz-”

 

"Why not?"

 

"Because he's scared of him." Tarble snorts.

 

“What?!” Vegeta's concentration breaks from the screen, “No! I'm not-"

 

"What? Why-?"

 

"He's afraid that-"

 

"I’m not afraid of that moron!”

 

“He is-”

 

“Vegeta-”

 

“I totally get it. He's like six four and judge-y as fuck-”

 

“Wh-” He tosses the controller onto the table, “So what if he's six four! He still hits like a little bitch.” 

 

“I’ve seen him knock a dude out in a bar fight.”

 

“Yeah, Rad’s not half bad when he puts his mind to it.”

 

Vegeta clicks his tongue, “Luck!”

 

"But he'd never do that to you. Er- probably. He's really not that bad."

 

"I know!"

 

“..... Then why don’t you want me to tell him? ...I was kinda hopin’ I could introduce you like… at my next match or somethin’.”

 

“I-”

 

Awkward silence permeates the room and Tarble lifts the bowl up to his face and begins polishing off the rest of the cereal as he walks out of the room, “I’m stayin’ out of this.”

 

_Brat! You fuckin' got me into it!_

 

“I didn’t tell him who you were but he knows I’m seein’ someone and he ‘n Chi really wanna meet ya.” Goku says quietly.

 

_I know they do._

 

“Do you guys have a bad history or somethin’?”

 

Vegeta bites his tongue before, “Yeah… bad history.” Goku frowns and Vegeta decides maybe it was time to talk about this. “Do you still not know why I was arrested?”

 

Goku shakes his head, “My dad said somethin' sorta funny though. He’s always worryin’ about worst cases with me... and he joked that you were in for murder.” He laughs awkwardly, “but that’s- there’s no way you-” Vegeta’s mouth twitches into a hard line and he looks away. “Right?” Goku’s smile drops.

 

“It… was an accident. Sort of.”

 

Goku's brows furrow, “You- .... Really?” He holds his breath hoping Vegeta was joking even though he never did that.

 

Vegeta raises a brow and nods not sure what to make of Goku’s reaction as he watches the younger man put his hands together and rest his face on them in thought. “ … Ok, maybe... you're right... I shouldn't tell him. Raditz is kinda... He doesn't uh- yeah.” He sighs. “He's kinda the worst... about these things..."

 

“I- … Does the fact that I killed someone not bother you?” _I thought this was going to be a longer conversation. Do you really have no questions or concerns?!_

 

Goku looks up, “Huh? ...You just said it was an accident.”

 

“Right… sort o-”

 

“Everyone deserves a second chance.” He grins. “And if you used to be a bad person I can’t even tell, ‘cause you’re definitely not now.”

 

Vegeta shifts uncomfortably, “I- thanks?" _That shouldn't have been so easy._

 

Goku nods happily before nearly pressing his mouth to Vegeta’s ear in a whisper, “but ya know… bein' with you when I know other people wouldn't like it kinda makes _me_ feel like the  _bad_ one.”

 

“Is that right?" Vegeta raises a brow at Goku's suddenly devious expression, "Fucking a dangerous criminal behind everyone's back turns you on? Don't you know I'm at risk for being a repeat offender? Be careful Kakarot, I might resort to my old wa~AYS! What the fu-! Not on the couch! My brother is heRE-!”

 

***

 

Tarble sulks past another argument in the room next door and into the kitchen. He tries to walk his sleep addled brain through the steps of making a bowl of cereal. He sits down, eyes still barely cracked open and grumbles out a good morning to Goku and Vegeta who are sitting across from each other.

 

As he brings the spoon to his mouth he notices the kitchen is quiet. Very quiet. _Too quiet._ Tarble is slowly waking up to the realization that he probably walked in mid argument or mid- something and  _maybe being single is best because every couple I know just fights all the time-_ Because now that his eyes are fully open he can see his brother is visibly upset with Goku who was avoiding eye contact, choosing instead to take particular interest in moving his food around with his fork 

 

Goku breaks the silence, “Vegeta, can you pass the-”

 

“Tarble!” Vegeta abruptly stands from the table. “You can tell this- this _cheater_ that if he needs anything. He can get it himself!” Then he stomps off.

 

Tarble raises his brows and looks at Goku who is rolling his eyes.

 

“...I- uh… is everything… ?” 

 

"He’s jus’ bein’ dramatic." He rolls his eyes, “I beat him on bench yesterday. And APPARENTLY! YOU GOTTA CHEAT IN ORDER TO BEAT VEGETA ON BENCH CAUSE HE’S SOOOOOO GREAT AT BENCH-” He yells in the direction Vegeta walked off in.

 

“Shut up! You can NOT bench 325!” Echoes back from somewhere in the house. 

 

“Yeah, well you prolly didn’t even break 90 on your one rep squat max-” He mumbles.

 

“WHAT?! YOU WANNA SAY THAT TO MY FACE?”

 

He mimics Vegeta’s yelling face making Tarble laugh.

 

“I don’t know why he’s so mad. He _supposedly_ beat my personal record on squat last week. So o’ course I had to beat him in somethin’ else.” He shakes his head. “Like him not being able to put up the bar is somehow my fault. OR MAYBE YOU’RE JUST WEAK VEGETA-”

 

“WEAK?! WEAK!? YOU THINK I’M-”

 

Goku smiles mischievously, “YEAH!”

 

Tarble hears a door slam and loud angry foot steps coming back down the stairs and decides now was probably a good time to vacate the premises because he had the sudden feeling he _really_ didn’t want to know how this fight was going to end.

 

And he was right. Goku and Vegeta’s _argument_ resulted in a new kitchen table and Bulma laying down a few new house rules regarding the appropriate use of communal furniture.

 

As frustrating and embarrassing as it could be, the tedious balance he was struggling to maintain between home and work during those few months he would look back on as one of the best times of his life. Or at least it was comparatively to what came before. And directly after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm... not sure how I felt about the last two scenes. There was a whole lotta Tarble in this, eh? Poor third wheel. Always caught up in everyone's bullshit. This whole chapter was so jumpy honestly. I had a lot of trouble with transitions and just sort of settled on giving a bunch of one shotty-feeling sort of fluff scenes :\ And I have SO many more of these set at varying points of the story. So i'm thinking there will be a couple sort of "filler" chapters like this here and there while I hammer out plot.
> 
> I feel like I've sort of sidelined Bulma, she'll be coming back in to the fold one of these days. 
> 
> ANYWAY big developments next ch which is ALMOST DONE. ^^
> 
> T_T I can't wait to reveal Chi Chi's actual purpose (more like, why she's ok with everything Raditz is doing) in a couple chapters from now. She's just a peach and I love her. She's totally OOC, yes, but you know, sacrifices were made for the greater good of the story and I regret none of them so far.


End file.
